A Merry Eight-Bit Christmas
by CandleHeadButt
Summary: PRESENTS! UGLY SWEATERS! COOKIES! SNOWBALL FIGHTS! HAM! All of these and more shall be here when Sugar Rush and Niceland combine for Christmas! (A/N: This contains spoilers for some stories not yet complete but hey, Merry Christmas everyone. Have some stupid presents from ME.)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One- Welcome

Ah, Christmas at Litwak's! It's always the best time of the year. With the holidays everyone is in such a bright mood.

There are bells ringing, people singing, so many things to enjoy! Who wouldn't love to see what game characters do during the holidays?

In Fix-it-Felix Jr., the jolliness was only increasing and with it being Christmas Eve, everyone was busy.

"Gene?" Mary called out to her husband as she shut the oven door "Honey, you said you wanted to get this party going so where are you at?"

"Where else have I been?" Gene replied, but his voice sounded huffy. Mary looked over, seeing a figure fidgeting around in the bedroom. The cheeky grin on her face revealed that the woman knew exactly what was going on and after wrapping the pie up in its box, she ambled her way over to the room.

"Oh, DEEEEAR?" she tittered, playing off as cute as possible "Watcha doin'?"

The door suddenly closed, Gene thrusting all his weight upon the frame to prevent Mary come coming in.

"UH! ITS NOTHING!"

"Are you wrappin' presents?" the woman cooed, tickled to see Gene behaving in such a manner.

Inside the room, Gene kicked a box under the bed but that wasn't the only thing he was worried about.

What he was worried about was much bigger, much deadlier!

Much….itchier, scratchier, and all around uncomfortable.

"I am NOT coming out like this."

"But honey, you said you would do ANYTHING for me on the holidays!"

"I KNOW I made that promise but had I known beforehand that it meant doing THIS?!"

"But you look so cute!" Mary called back, laughing brightly "And I'm sure everyone wants to see you looking cute!"

"I. AM. NOT. CUTE!" Gene pouted from the other side of the door.

"Cartoony blue eyes, big round nose, big cheeks….ON BOTH ENDS."

"MARY!"

"I'd say you're pretty cute, now come out before I make you come out!"

"NO!"

"Nicelander Gene, if you do not come out this INSTANT than so help me there will be no pie this year!"

Mary was joking of course but she knew she finally had Gene hook, line and sinker. The door creaked open, a little grumpy man standing on the other side.

"You wouldn't dare…."

Mary reached in and tugged a cheek "Geeeene…."

"Ow, ow OW!"

"HO HO HO!" came a chipper voice of one Vanellope Von Schweetz from the door "How are the happy couple?"

It was perfect timing; just as soon as Vanellope and the others opened the door to the mayoral apartment then Gene should come tumbling out of the room.

And what everyone saw took their breaths away.

There stood Gene, decked out in the most HORRID of HORRID Christmas sweaters, the thing looking as if it were nearly three sizes too big but thick as a sheep around him. The gaudy thing just screamed humiliation on him but things wouldn't have been so bad had he managed to take it off before the others had seen him.

But there they were; Vanellope, Ralph, Calhoun and Felix. All of them standing at the couple's door and looking in with shock.

That was until…..

"PFFFFFFFFFFFFT! HAHAHAHAH!" laughed Vanellope, unable to help herself at the sight "MAYOR GENE?!"

Gene turned redder than a Christmas poinsettia as the others soon joined in though it was apparent Felix was trying to keep the peace between the bunch.

"Alright, alright. Everyone has Christmas sweaters we get it…" Felix smiled, pinching both Ralph and Vanellope's cheeks "Geeze, where have ya two been if this is new ta ya?"

"Sorry, brother…" Ralph chuckled, rubbing his stinging cheek "I just didn't think my Christmas present would come EARLY this year! I think this is the best thing I've seen all year."

"STOP TALKING."

"I see we made it on time." Smiled Calhoun, carrying her loud of presents and food "So where do ya want this stuff?"

"In the penthouse, dear." Smiled Mary, helping her with some of the items "Just leave them under the tree and once everyone gets here, we can begin the celebration!"

"Aw man, I can't wait for the party ta start!" Vanellope cheered "I'm so happy that ya two agreed ta let Sugar Rush come here! Everyone was so excited!"

Mary smiled brightly, patting Vanellope on the head "Oh, how could I say NO to those little friends of yours? I mean, we've gotten to know each other so well, so why not spend the holidays together?"

"Yes, of course…" Gene smirked, sneaking behind Mary "Plus, extra guest DOES mean extra treats."

"Gene, NO!" Mary called out, giving the man an angry pout as she watch him take two cookies off the severing plate "Wait for everyone to get here before you go stuffing your face!"

"Mmmmm!" Gene played "But Meh-RIIIIIII, there's so good!"

"You greedy lump, you've been acting like this since we got married." The woman huffed, yanking the plate away from the man "What do you think I am? Your food provider?"

"Considering your always the one MAKIN' me eat, can I say yes?"

"You have enough sense in you! You can say no!"

"Um, should we leave now?" Calhoun chuckled, entertained by what was happening before her "I mean, if you two need some private time…."

"Actually, we could use some more help." Mary said "I know we're going to be busy for the next hour so do you think you can give a hand with some of the refreshments?"

Calhoun smiled proudly "Ms. Mary, it would be an honor."

"_Say no! It'll save your life!"_

"Ralph."

"By the way young lady." Gene said "Where are the rest of your friends?"

"They came in with me but I guess they kinda wandered off. So many things are happenin', can ya really blame 'em for goin' off?"

"Well, they are children." Gene said, rubbing his chin "But where is Candlehead?"

"Huh, why do ya ask?"

"The child did say she wanted to help with the food but….but I haven't seen any sign of her at all."

Vanellope looked around, realizing that Gene was right.

"Yeeeeah, that is weird. She would have been scarfin' down goodies as much as you were if she were here!"

If only Vanellope had noticed the look of aggravation on Gene's face at that moment but the girl was blissfully unaware.

"Ah well, I'm sure she'll pop up sooner or later! C-Butt would NEVER miss out on a party!"

"Speakin' of which, we better get ourselves ready." Chirped Felix "It'll be nightfall before ya know it."

After excusing themselves from the apartment, the group began to go off on their own, busying themselves with the duties they had been given.

"I guess I'll get started on the next thing on my list." Mary said as she waltzed over to her husband and gave him a big smooch on the cheek "But if I find out that you snuck any bites of the food before its time-!"

"Dear, dear! You can count on me." Gene chuckled, holding a hand over his heart "Everything will be in its proper place when you get back."

Mary gave Gene a haughty smile but she knew her love meant his words. She turned and left the room, leaving Gene alone.

Alone with all those baked goods.

A devious grin spread on his face as he tiptoed towards the counter, eyeing a plate of cookies before him.

"One or two couldn't hurt." He chuckled to himself but just as he was about to put his fingers on one of the delectable treats.

"Oh, Nory! Come off it!"

Nel and Norwood. Right on time.

Gene dropped his cookie and went to the door. For a moment, he had thought that the two Nicelanders had caught him in the act but to his relief, they were going about elsewhere.

"Smile, Nel. Smile!"

"Mmurgh, I don't want to."

"Aw, even Dee-Dee is in a better mood than ya an' she's SICK!"

With everything in the clear, Gene made his way back towards the kitchen, cookies the only thing on his mind.

"Ehehe, perhaps I should try the lil angel cookies first or-!"

He stopped. He looked.

The plate of cookies were no longer there!

"W-WHAT!?"

Gene looked around the kitchen feverishly. There was no way in the code void that a plate could have just vanished like that but as he looked at the empty countertop the proof, or lack thereof, was there in front of his face.

The cookies were gone.

And if there were GONE, HE would be the one to blame.

"Now how?"

The chubby mayor scratched his head and searched a few more spaces but the plate was gone.

"Okay, think Genie. THINK. You only turned your back for a second, and then-"

Gone.

Cookies and crumbs and plate GONE.

"This makes no sense! I couldn't have-!"

Gene felt a little crack under his feet and as he looked down, an odd sight met his eyes. It was something PINK. Pink and waxy.

The mayor picked up the small blog in his fingers and gave it a closer look.

Pink wax?

PINK.

WAX.

Gene said nothing as he looked around, the apartment still and quiet. He could feel that someone was in the room with him but it was best he not stir them up. Instead of calling them out, instead of saying a word he simply walked out of the room, switching the light off behind him. And with the doors shut…

A pair of eyes looked about.

And in the darkness of the apartment, a small figure walked out.

A small figure with a large plate of cookies and other goodies.

* * *

"I hate Secret Santas…."

"Oh, come off it Nel, why do ya hate it?" asked Norwood, playfully nudging his neighbor on the side.

"Because, like every time, I'm usually the one who ends up with the worst surprise!"

"LE GASP!" Norwood played "Nel, that is so GRUMPY of ya! How can ya say stuff about that towards your NEIGHBORS!"

"Look, it's not that I think the sentiment is bad but ya know how my luck is!"

Norwood once again start to play around with Nel, acting no better than a child "Mmmm, noooo. I doooon't."

Nel shoved the man away from her, holding out her own present for her Secrete Santa.

"Stupid surprise always seem to gravitate towards me and it never matters what holiday it is." The woman grumped "Easter, Fourth of July. It doesn't matter. If its stupid and annoyin', it comes my way!"

"Purt, you're just not in tha holiday spirit love!"

"Oh yeah? Then what about LAST year? My LAST Secrete Santa, who shall remain nameless-"

Norwood looked away _"Ahem, DON!"_

"I heard that, NORY."

"Thought it was smart to give me 'CALMING TEA' with the words 'I hope this calms you down' on it!"

"Aw, Don was just tryin' ta watch out for your sanity!" Norwood chuckled, leaning on the annoyed Nicelanders.

"Watch out for m-!? I knew what that meant! Its not like I hear it from you guys every day!"

"Oh, now you're just getting carried away. This is why we're throwin' a party like this! We all need ta loosen up an' just let things go!"

Nel's eyes opened wide as she looked up at the smiling man "Norwood….don't you dare."

"I am one with the wind and SKYYYYYYYYY!"

"NORWOOD!"

The man was unstoppable at this point, getting on his tiny little feet and swirling around.

"Let it go, LET IT GOOOOOOOO! You'll never see me cry!"

"Oh, PROGRAMMERS."

"Here I stAAAAAAAAAND! And here I'll SAAAAAAAAAAAY! Let the storm rage on!"

"Yeah, like my foot to your BUTT!" Nel cut in, tackling Norwood but the man managed to stay on his feet, cackling madly as he flailed.

"Someone help me! I have a mad purple thing on me!"

"Mr. Norwood!"

The Nicelander stopped, seeing two Sugar Rush racers standing before him.

"Oh?"

The large rainbow afro was familiar to everyone in the arcade.

"Wow, WOW!" Snowanna beamed, clapping her hands "That was AWESOME! I never knew you could sing like that!"

Nel slid down to the ground "Urgh, don't encourage him kids. Please don't."

"Hehe, well we Nicelanders can do more than just bake an' all those silly lil things." The Nicelander said smugly, adjusting his tie "I don't like ta brag but I do enjoy singin' here an' there."

"Yeah, we know." Nel smirked "But when ya do, we can't tell if its YOU or your cats."

"Either way, that was great!" the racer said, Crumbellina looking in approval besides her "Ya think ya wanna join us tonight when we play?"

"You kids are playin'?"

"'Course we are." Snowanna smiled "There's no way either of us are gonna miss out on a chance to play some music this year."

"Aw, see?" Nel said as she pushed Norwood forward "You have two 'fans' to join ya so ya can stop messin' with me."

Norwood moved around quickly, taking Nel by her hands "But baby…."

Oh, NOW he was being serious?

Nel could only smile. She knew that Norwood meant well but of course, he couldn't do anything without trying to be the joker of the bunch. Standing on her tip-toes, Nel kissed the man gently.

"I have some 'things' to get ready." Nel said, turning tartly on her heels and walking back to the apartment "Keep an eye on 'im kids!"

"We shall." Nodded Crumbellina "Do not worry about a thing. It seems your Mr. Norwood is locked up anyway."

Locked up?

Norwood just stood in the hall, a dreamy look on his face as pixel hearts floated about.

_"Programmers, I love that woman…."_

"Mr. Norwood?"

The red-head nearly jumped sky high as he heard his name "GAH! Yes?!"

"Heh, perhaps we should get things set up?" asked Snowanna.

"Ah-ah-ha, yeah." Norwood chuckled nervously, his cheeks bright red "L-Let's head up to tha-!"

Music.

Soft music.

"What is that?" asked Crumbellina as she stopped in the hall, her ears picking up the beautiful sounds of a violin "Who is playing that?"

"Oh?" Norwood said as she looked up "Pft, its Donnie. He's always playin' that thing."

"Its…." Crumbellina's were HUGE as she followed the trail of the music "It's BEAUTIFUL!"

It was if Crumbellina had hit a trail she could not turn away from. Before she knew what she was doing, she was running down the halls towards the sailor's door and to her luck, it was open and there she saw him.

Standing near the window and playing his violin.

Crumbellina could not believe it. She had been in the arcade for so long and yet she had NEVER heard the man play before, she had never heard his talent, heard his music.

And it all clicked.

"SIR!"

Don jolted, hitting a sharp and bad note as he finally took notice of the small girl at his door.

Where had she come from?

He looked around a few times but he knew better than to just leave her there.

"Ahem, may I help you young lady?"

Crumbellina was still in awe but without another word she set her own case down and pulled out her violin.

"K-Keep playing!"

"Excuse me?" Don blinked.

"Please sir, keep playing!"

Don looked around, seeing Norwood and Snowanna's faces peeking around the corner.

What kind of man would deny a child music.

"You know any good 'snow' level songs." Don asked with a smile.

Crumbellina looked deadly serious as she picked up her bow "I KNOW PLENTY."

Diamond Dust.

Always the perfect choice.

Now the entire apartment was filled with the sound of violin music.

"Aaaah, she gonna be okay?" Norwood asked Snowanna but the racer only smiled and shook her head.

"She's fine but it seems like we found another talent ta add to our 'band' this year!"

* * *

"Watch out with the stars!" Felix called to Vanellope. The racer glitched into her spots, placing the decorations all over the tree.

"Don't cha worry a thing 'bout me, Felix! I got it!"

"So, what type of pie should I help Mary make?" Calhoun asked as she looked through the cook book. Felix looked over, a little surprised that Calhoun was asking such a thing.

"Ya really wanna make some pies with Ms. Mary?"

"Why not? It's the holidays! I wanna give these guys some help with all the bakin' goin' on!"

Everyone in the penthouse stopped.

Hmm, this was quite the fix.

"What? Is there somethin' odd 'bout me wantin' ta bake?"

"Not at all dear, not at all!" Felix chuckled nervously "Is just….well…"

Calhoun looked down at her husband, the man feeling the heavy shadow of her great height falling upon him like a two-ton weight.

"Felix? Is there somethin' ya wanna say?"

"Well-!"

"Aw, don't be like that ta him, Sarge." Said Ralph.

"Be like WHAT, Wreck-It?" Calhoun said, putting her hands to her hips "Perhaps YOU can translate what my husband is tryin' ta say?"

Ralph knew he shouldn't have opened his mouth with the look Calhoun was now giving him.

It was the holidays. Try to be nice!

"Um, its nothin' Sarge!" Ralph laughed, returning to his work on the tree "Nothin' at all! Just ignore us!"

"Oh no!" Calhoun said, pulling all THREE back towards her "I know what's goin' on here!"

Vanellope gulped "Ya do?"

"All this talk. Everyone tryin' ta sugar coat their words. YOU don't think I can make a pie, DO YA?"

The others frozen in their spots; BINGO.

"No, no! That's not it!"

"Oh, I get it!" Calhoun huffed, suddenly posing like Ralph and swinging her arms around "Big, bad Tamera CAN'T bake because she a big mean soldier right?"

"Aw, we don't need this now…" Calhoun said, taking his wife by the hands "I have no doubts that you're GREAT at pie bakin'!"

"Then why did ya just falter back there? Don't try ta hide it!"

Felix paled even more, walking back "Tammy, j-just listen!"

"Ya know somethin'?" the marine said, standing straight and tall "I'm gonna take ya up on your offer!"

"What offer?"

"Since ya guys don't think I can do it, I'mma prove that even a MARINE can make a pie just as good as a Nicelander!"

"Tammy, c'mooooooon!" Felix whined "I never said ya couldn't so there's no need for ya ta act this way!"

"Sorry, honey-cheeks but I gotta take it up! It's my DUTY!"

"But Tammy…."

"Too late! I'm gone!"

And with that, the marine disappeared down the hall.

"Wow." Vanellope said "She's determined."

Felix knew nothing good was about to come from this. He turned, looking at both Ralph and Vanellope with annoyed glares.

"SNOW DUTY."

"Wait, WHAT!?" said Ralph.

Before they could blink, both Ralph and Vanellope found they had large snow shovles in their hands.

"Ya heard me." Felix said sternly "SNOW. DUTY."

"B-But, it's dry as a bone outside!" said Ralph "How can ya expect us ta snow when there's nothin' out here!?"

Felix only narrowed his eyes.

* * *

It was bitter cold.

The sky was grey.

And there was nearly five feet of snow outside.

"Oh, great work Stink-Breath." Vanellope growled, shoveling a huge mass of snow "Why don't cha t-off tha ONLY guy who knows tha passcodes ta make it snow in your own game!"

"Look, I had no idea he would put in THIS much snow!" Ralph said as he took a large mound and pushed it to the side "_Usually he only lets it snow one or two feet…Five? WHY FIVE?"_

"Humbug! Just shovel!"

"WOW! LOOK EVERYONE! THERE'S A BUTT-TON OF SNOW OUT HERE!"

Vanellope glitched in fear; that voice. That sinister, voice.

"Oh no, not now! Not GL-!"

**_*WA-POW!*_**

Before anyone knew what was happening, as massive wave of snowballs began to rain down EVERYWHERE, hitting any and all who were hapless enough to be caught in the spray.

"Hey, what tha-?!" Ralph said, holding his shovel up as a shield "DA HECK IS THAT?!"

"It's GLOYD!" Vanellope said, ducking for cover "This is what he always does when there's snow around!"

"Hey! HEY!" roared the wrecker "We're tryin' ta work here! Don't ya think-!"

**_*WA-POW!*_**

"YA SHOULD-?!"

**_*WA-POW! WA-POW!*_**

"I-!"

**_*POWPOWPOWPOWPOWPOWPOW!*_**

When Vanellope looked up, she saw nothing but the form of her friend lying face down in the snow.

"Told ya he gets bad…" she breathed out "But so long as Nougie doesn't see then-!"

"Oh HO!" came another voice. Vanellope slammed her face into her hands.

_"We're doomed."_

Not too far away, a few of the candy racers had split into sides, each group arming themselves for the impending battle of the Frost!

And on one side, Gloyd Orangeboar! On the other, Nougetsia Bramblestien!

"I see that you have gathered your crew…." The frosty girl chuckled as she rubbed her nose arrogantly "Heed my words, Pumpkin Eater. Not a member of your team shall be left once we are through!"

"Haha, you make me laugh!" the pumpkin racer laughed richly, folding his arms against his chest "You think ya have the advantage just because you're a POPSICLE racer! HA! I know more 'bout throwin' all type'a bombs than ya could wish! BRING IT ON, SISTER!"

"Anytime pal!"

And the battle began.

Ralph and Vanellope looked around, seeing the massive mess that was happening around them.

"Looks like we're gonna be out here for a while…." Ralph sighed but Vanellope didn't reply "Nelly? Nelly? Ya okay kid?"

Ralph got his answer when a massive pile of snow fell atop him, Vanellope standing over him angrily.

"THAT'S WHAT YA GET FOR TALKIN' 'BOUT CALOUN'S PIE!"

"Peh! Don't blame ME for this!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two- Sniffles

"Pe-CHU!"

Darn colds.

Deanna lay on the couch, wrapped in many blankets and sheets as she huddled for warmth. It was bad enough that she had a cold but to have one right at the eve of Christmas was an even bigger disappointed. Even if Deanna wasn't one to go about hopping from place to place screaming about Christmas, she did enjoy the holiday season.

But to be sick? To feel so dizzy and congested right when everyone was going to have fun?

"Poop."

The woman reached for another hanky and sneezed loudly, but not loud enough to cover up the sounds of everyone going about the apartment. She could hear her neighbors laughing and talking amongst themselves and she could hear the sounds of the Sugar Rush racers as they began to file in.

If only she were feeling better. If only she wasn't so achy she could move.

"Urgh, why did this have to happen?" she moaned loudly, her head throbbing "Why couldn't I have gotten sick the day AFTER?! That would have been swell!"

She huffed and buried herself deeper into her sheets but as she peeked from the hole, she noticed something on the coffee table.

A present.

THE present.

Her Secrete Santa gift.

"Wh-what?"

Wonderful, just WONDERFUL. Deanna had made sure she had taken care of her gift hunting long before the others and she was ready to give the present out but as she had fallen ill, she had forgotten to hand it out.

And even worse? It was ROY'S gift.

The woman knew Roy would go into a worried tizzy if things went wrong but she was just so achy, just so ill.

She had to give the gift but she felt as if she were to take one step off the couch, she would ROLL down the hall.

"Urgh, I need help. I need-!"

*RIIIIIIING!*

The phone.

Who could that be?

The bespectacled Nicelander reached a hand out and picked up the receiver, coughing slightly "H-Hello?"

_"HEEEEEY, Dee-Dee! Where are ya?"_

Lucy. It was ALWAYS something with Lucy.

"You KNOW where I've been for the past three days!"

"_What, you're still sick?_" the girl asked on the other end. Deanna felt her headache getting worse.

"Ye-!"

A loud coughing fit interrupted her reply, the woman slumping back on the couch.

"Look, Lulu? I don't feel too much for talking right now."

_"When do you ever?"_

"I-I'm SERIOUS!"

_"Whoa, calm down Dee-Dee! I didn't mean anything by that."_ Chuckled the younger Nicelander _"Just wanted to see if you had any last minuet things before the big party and all!"_

Opportunity strikes.

Deanna looked over at the table, the package seemingly calling to her. She sneezed again, trying her best to stay strong.

"Y-Yeah, there is one thing you can do for me."

* * *

Calhoun walked down the halls of Niceland, looking everywhere for Mary.

"Where did she go off to?" the woman asked herself when she passed a window. The fresh blanket of snow didn't faze her for a second until she realized ONE BIG THING.

Only an hour before, the lawn was as green as ever and though it was a tad nippy, it wasn't that cold.

The marine rushed back to the window, pressing her face against the glass to take in the MOUNTAIN of white that lay before her.

"Is THIS how the weather here works?!"

**_"AH! AAAAAAAAH!"_**

"Ralph?"

Calhoun saw a large flash of red barrel past the window, Ralph screaming at the top of his lungs as a gaggle of children chased after him.

Leading the front? One very angry Vanellope.

"YA HAD TA OPEN YOUR MOUTH! YA JUST HAD TO!"

Ralph looked back, his nightmares coming true as the children continued to run after him.

"Felix is only gonna make MORE snow if he catches us like this!"

"But WHO is ta blame for tha snow in the first place!?"

Ralph kept up speed, not wanting to get captured but just as he thought he was some distance away, he large clump of snow SAILED towards his head!

**_*KLUNCK!*_**

"OW! Okay! SOMEONE JUST THREW A SNOW COVERED BRICK! WHO WAS IT?!" the wrecker roared.

Those guys, always doing something stupid.

Calhoun heard a few noises from the community kitchen and as she peered down the hall, she finally caught a glimpse of the familiar Nicelander in pink.

"Ms. Mary!"

The Nicelander smiled as she saw Calhoun walking up to her "Ah, everything is going well I take it dear."

"Pie." Calhoun said.

Mary blinked "Pie?"

"PIE." Calhoun repeated "I NEED pie. I NEED to MAKE pie."

"Goodness…" Mary laughed "From the way you put it, you're getting just as hungry as Gene, dear."

"Ms. Mary, I'm serious!" the marine said, a bit of worry in her voice, a surprising thing for ANYONE to hear "Don't ask 'bout the details but can I please, PLEASE help make a pie with you?"

"Um, sure young lady. Whatever you want to do." The smaller woman said nervously "B-but can you give me a LITTLE hint as to why you need-?"

"There's no time for this!" Calhoun interrupted, reaching for every tin, bowl, and baking pan in the kitchen. She then threw a few ingredients into a bowl and started mixing "Let's get started!"

"That's all fine and good, Tamera." Mary said, reaching up and pulling the full bowl out of Calhoun's hands "But I must inform you."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"You just poured cornstarch and ketchup in. I think you might want to try something else."

Cursing to herself, Calhoun could feel her cheek turning red but she remained steady and strong.

"O-Oh yes. I knew someone of your skills would catch that. That is why I require your teaching!"

"Just…just stay right here for a moment." Mary grimaced "I have a few things back in the apartment that might help so just…just relax"

Mary then hopped on the elevator, leaving Calhoun alone in the kitchen. She looked at the mess in the bowl, putting her face in her hands a moment later.

"Don't let it bother ya. Ya can do this, ya can do this…."

* * *

"Okay, no clues there…" Gene said as he walked back into the apartment and turned the lights back on "Just where in the arcade did those pies-?"

Gene looked over towards the counter towards the aforementioned pies and what he saw made his jaw drop.

The pies, just like the cookies, had DISAPPEARED!

"Oh, COME ON!" the mayor growled as he ran over towards the counter but the image did not change. The only thing left were a few wayward crumbs but nothing more. The man groaned as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I swear, if I find out ANYONE is up here stealing pies, I'll-!"

"NICELANDER GENE!"

Gene let out a terrified meep as he turned, his wife right at the door and looking not at all pleased to find him in the kitchen and her baked goods gone. It didn't take a genius to figure out what Mary was thinking and in no time Gene was already panicking for the wrath that was headed his way.

"Dear! Love! I can explain this!"

"You had better!" Mary snapped, grabbing Gene rather roughly by his nose "I TOLD you to leave those cakes alone and what did you do!? You went ahead and crammed it in your mouth ANYWAY!"

"URRF! MAY-WEE!" Gene whined, his arms flailing before he was able to pull away. He rubbed his sore nose and gave his wife a pathetic look "Really? REALLY? You cannot tell me that you think I ate ALL of that in such a short time. Give me SOME credit, Mary!"

"How long have I known you, dear?" Mary said, a brow arched and her hands on her hips "How long? Thirty years? I think by this time I have seen what you can do with food in such a short time."

Gene huffed, looking like a pouting child "Okay Ms. Know-it-all. I'll find your pies and cookies and whatever! Just to show I'm not as big a pig as you think I am!"

"Gene, give it up." Mary grumped "I don't think anyone would attest to what you did!"

"BUT I DIDN'T-!"

Gene shut his mouth, feeling much too frustrated to continue on with the argument.

"Give me an hour. Just ONE HOUR and you'll see!" he said, walking out of the apartment and slamming the door behind him. Mary only stood at the door for a moment, fingers tapping on the side of her arms when Gene returned, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"I need my coat, don't I?"

Mary took the item out of the closet, eyeing the man with each move he made "Yes, you do."

His head low, Gene sulked back out of the apartment, the door closing softer this time.

How things were building up in such a short time. It was bad enough that there were nearly five feet of snow outside the building for some reason but now nearly all the pies and cakes that Mary had made for the party were gone. She began to gather a few things from the refrigerator, readying herself to help Calhoun back downstairs.

"Well, maybe that young woman won't mind helping me with THIS."

And with that, Mary left the room….

But was unaware of the eyes that followed her movements.

"Th-that was bad!"

* * *

"Ha-ha! What a snow fall!" laughed Lucy as she both she and Tony trudged through the wonderland of white, ignoring the ensuing fight that was happening before them.

**_"SOMEONE HELP MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" _**

"EVERYONE GANG UP ON RALPH!"

"What did Dee-Dee want again?" Tony asked his sister "From the sound of things, she didn't sound all that well."

"Something about some package an' givin' it to Roy an' all that jazz. Meh, she'll explain it ta us once we get inside."

"It's for the Secret Santa thing, isn't it?" the man asked, a small smile on his face.

"Yuppers! Can't wait to see the look on Nory's face when I give him his gift!" Lucy smiled cheekily "It'll be just as good as the one I gave Meggy lat year!"

"Oh, ya mean 'How to Get Into Bed with Old Dudes?'. Yeah, she an' Don REALLY loved that." Tony chuckled, rolling his eyes "How long did he stuff you in the closet that time?"

"Oh bah. Is it my fault the old fart has no sense of humor?" Meg said as she opened the doors to Niceland "Either way, I know he'll be happy this year! Both he an' Meg will be happy!"

"Oh? How so?"

That familiar smirk reappeared on Lucy's face "Cuz a lil someone ya know took a copy of tha present list from ol' Maypr Blueberry, that's why."

"Who?" Tony asked in all seriousness "Nolan?"

"No, silly! ME!" Lucy whined "I took the note an' I know for a FACT Meg an' Don are the ones handing gifts to each other."

"Oooooh! That makes sense!" said Tony "Ya think Gene an' Mary did that on purpose or?"

"Could be." Tittered Lucy "Gene did tha same thing last year for Nel an' Nory. Maybe Mayor Booty-Shorts is more crafty than we th-!"

"Ms. Mary, watch out!"

A loud BANG and a CLANG were heard from the community kitchen, the siblings running towards the source of the noise as fast as they could.

"Is everyone alright?!" asked Tony but what he saw, he wasn't prepared for.

There in the kitchen were both Calhoun and Mary, the two woman looking as if they had both taken a spill, pie ingredients everywhere.

And a large blast hole in the wall.

"Ow." Mary moaned, rubbing her sore shoulder "That was smooth of me."

"Ms. Mary, I'm sorry!" Calhoun gasped, picking the woman off the ground "I guess that's what I get for not putting away ALL my guns before cooking."

"Uh, is there something we should know goin' on?" asked Lucy, scratching her head.

"No, no. We're fine." Sighed Mary as she looked at the mess "Just…just making sure that everything is up and ready for the party tonight."

"Try one was a failure…." Huffed Calhoun.

"But we're not giving up yet!" Mary said proudly as she wiped herself off "On your feet, young lady! We are going to make you a pie baker even if it kills us!"

"Yeah, I think we should be going now." Lucy said as she pulled her brother towards the elevator.

"B-But this looks fun…"

* * *

"Un, my head…." Deanna groaned, pulling the covers tighter around her. She heard a knock at her door, the urge to simply roll off the couch growing stronger.

"Come in, its open."

_"D-Deanna?"_

"Meg?"

Meg slowly walked into the apartment but from the way she was looking, Deanna could tell that the woman was upset.

VERY upset.

"I'm sorry that I just barreled in here with the way you're feeling but….but…."

Deanna sat up, or at least she TRIED to "Y-Yeah, what's wrong?"

Meg turned red in the face as she held a hand towards her mouth. Deanna knew something was about to come up but whatever it was, it sure had Meg more flustered than she usually was.

"Oh, this is so stupid but I can't do it!"

"You can't do WHAT?"

"I can't give Don his present!" Meg finally confessed, looking as if she were about to break down in tears "Why did I have to end up as HIS Secret Santa!? I could never hand this to him!"

"Wait, that's what this is about? Meg, you had me worried there!"

Meg felt like tucking herself into a ball and hiding in the darkest corners of the apartment she was so embarrassed "You don't understand Dee-Dee! This is MORE than just some little present exchange! I-IN the thirty years we've been plugged in here, I-!"

"Yes?"

"I-!"

"Come on Meg, spit it out."

"I'VE NEVER GIVEN DON HIS PRESENT!"

"Yoooo!" came a voice from the door, Lucy and Tony walking in just in time to see Meg THROW herself on Deanna. Lucy froze at the door, her smile as large as well "HUH. SEEMS LIKE WE WALKED IN AT THE WRONG TIME! BYE YOU TWO!"

"No, no! Stay!" said Deana, pushing the sobbing Meg off of her "And shut the door will you? Its freezing everywhere for some reason."

"Ya mean, ya haven't seen all the snow?"

"Wait, WHAT?"

"Meggy, is this about the present exchange?" Lucy quipped "Aw, don't fret about it this year. Just hand Don the stupid thing, he'll like ANYTHING you give him!"

"Lucy, do you really have to be so CRASS?" Deanna moaned but she turned her attention to Meg once more "Meg, there is NO reason for you to be this worked up about giving a present to Don. To put what Lucy said in KINDER words-"

"Hey."

"Don likes ANYTHING you give him and he'll love the present you'll hand to him."

"B-But…." Meg looked down at the tiny package "What can I really give him that will make him understand?"

"What do ya mean?"

"Look, I'm not Mary…" Meg began "I'm not Nel, I'm not Calhoun….I'm nothing like them. I don't have the spine to talk to ANYONE let alone D-"

She couldn't even finish, shaking her head and clutching the package.

"Meg?"

"I can't do it!" the woman wailed as she ran into Deanna's room "I can't!"

"Meg? MEG!" Deanna shouted "For crying out loud, if you're going to cry somewhere DON'T DO IT IN MY ROOM!"

"Why can't I talk to him?!"

Deanna knew it was going to be some time before anyone would convince Meg to move but even so, she couldn't let Meg miss out another opportunity.

"Lulu?"

"Mm-yeees?"

Deanna blew into a hanky, flopping down on the couch "I-I need another favor from you."

* * *

"Felix, you need any help with that?" asked Nel as she walked into the penthouse, Felix going around the entire room and hanging up ribbons.

"Oh, sure!" the repairman smiled "Just realized that things did move a lot faster before everyone ran off."

"Yeah, speakin' of which…" Nel said, tying a beautiful bow around a few decorations "Is THAT why there's nearly ten feet of snow outside and there's a burning smell coming from downstairs?"

Felix laughed nervously "H-Hey, things can get hectic around the holidays! We all know that!"

"I know…" Nel smiled "But I never thought I'd live to see the day when things would get THIS excit-!"

"OOOH! STUPID! STUPID!"

Nel nearly fell over and Felix almost crashed to the ground as the doors to the penthouse flew open, a snow covers figure stomping into the room.

"Um, hello there?" Felix said, tipping up his hat.

The figure looked at the two before it, covered in snow and pink.

Pink?

Without saying another word, the figure dropped off its sopping wet clothing only to reveal.

"TAFFYTA?!"

Yes, Taffyta Muttonfudge and if one thing could be said about the girl, she looked a mess. Her hair and clothing were soaked with water as was the large tote bag she clutched in her hands. But if anything shocked both Nicelander and repairman it was the look on her face.

Anger. Pure anger.

Anger and sadness.

"Hey, hey. What's up kiddo?" Felix asked as he walked over to the girl and picked up her clothes "Somethin' tha matter?"

"No, NO. It's fine…" huffed Taffyta, shivering from the cold "I-I just wanna get dry an-an' make sure everything is okay for the party."

"Well, if you're worried about tha present, they seem alright…" Felix said, noticing Taffyta eyeing them but he instantly regretted the comment as Taffyta seemed to clutch the straps of the bag tighter. She was upset alright but what about, the man did not know.

"Taffyta, look at me…" Felix said, turning the girl's head over towards his "Are you okay?"

Taffyta tried to play tough with the man but the look he was giving her was just enough to break away some of the cover she had placed up. The anger seemed to melt away as she walked over towards the couch, clutching her arms.

"I just wanna get dry, okay?"

Felix sighed heavily as he walked over towards the supply closet, pulling out a few towels "Here, this should dry ya off an' in tha mean time, I'm gonna put your coat up ta dry."

_"Thanks…"_

"No problem…." The repairman smiled "But if you'll excuse me, I think I have to check on somethin' first."

"Where are you goin' NOW?" asked Nel.

"I have my suspicious on ta what happened here, so just hand on. I'll just be a sec!"

And then Felix was gone.

Nel looked over, seeing Taffyta hunched on the couch, looking off to the side angrily.

"Ya know what always makes me feel better after a cold, snowy day?" Nel smiled "Some hot chocolate. Would you care for some?"

The strawberry racer said nothing, only nodding weakly.

"Heh, no one can say no to coco!" Nel laughed as she went to the kitchenette to prepare the drinks "Still though, ya came up here in a huff. An' knowin' from experience, I think I know why."

Nel glanced out the window, seeing the massive snow-ball fight continue. There was no doubt about it, Taffyta had found herself caught up in the melee but from what she had brought into the penthouse only moment ago Nel also realized that a snow-ball fight wasn't something Taffyta wanted to participate in.

But had somehow found herself swamped in the middle.

"Here, take this…." Nel said as she handed the racer the cup "You'll feel better once you warm up."

"Thanks." Taffyta said sadly "Ya don't have to be so nice to me."

"Hey! It's the holidays!" Nel said brightly "An' even if it weren't, I would still be happy to share some coco with you!"

A small smile appeared on Taffyta face as she sipped her drink. It was so nice to feel welcomed.

"Lemme guess. They got ya with a ton of snowballs, didn't they?"

Taffyta rolled her eyes "Ah-YUP."

"Puh, figures."

"I guess I wouldn't have had so much of an issue with it…." The girl began "If I WANTED to play in their stupid battle but does it LOOK like I wanted to?! I mean, GEEZE! I came here to put my gifts under the tree an' before I know it, I'm getting' PLETTED left an' right! I tell everyone to STOP, just STOP an'-!"

"Whoa, whoa, I get it girlie!" Nel laughed.

"S'not funny, that's all..."

"Heh, don't worry. I know how ya feel."

Taffyta looked up at the purple Nicelander "Really?"

"Pfft, yeah. I'm always finding myself mixed up with all the calamity my rusty-butt neighbors bring around me."

Nel couldn't help but laugh at the thought. She had been through so much with the others throughout the years but she couldn't hide the fact that some of those memories were actually ENJOYABLE.

"You know backstories?"

"Yeah?"

"Lemme tell you one of mine…" Nel began "Back when I was a kid, I was the smallest Nicelander around."

"I thought Gene was." Taffyta said.

"Well, he WAS. And then I came along an' suddenly he thought he was some big man of the apartments."

Not too far away, Gene was continuing on his cookie search when he felt a chill run up his spine.

"Why do I have the urge to yell at someone?"

Back with the Nicelander and the racer, Nel continued to tell her tale.

"Every winter, the boys used to go up against us gals in a snowball fight. There's about an even cut of us so it was fair by numbers, but not by SIZE."

"What did YOU do?"

"What could I do? I was always the easiest one to hit since everyone had to gun for the small one of the group!"

"That sound AWFUL!" Taffyta gasped "An' ya had to take this year after year?! I mean, in your backstory anyway…."

"That's what I thought…." Nel smiled "Til I learned a TRICK. I trick that taught those galumphs a lesson."

"W-what type of lesson?"

Nel sipped her coco cooly, snickering a bit "Finish your drink kid and I will show you."

* * *

Felix finally made his way outside the apartments, the snow now nearly three feet above his head and even more combing down.

"Hey, HAAAAY!" the man shouted "Tha heck is goin' on here?!"

"You'll never take us alive!" said Gloyd as his head popped out of one snow banks, his arms filled with snow balls.

"YAR-HAR-HAR! Just try and get is!" said Nougetsia.

Felix was hoping the amount of snow he put out would actually keep Vanellope and Ralph from sneaking comments about his wife's cooking abilities. He never thought about what chaos could come from it!

"Hahah, guys! We all had our fun now." The repairman said, stepping between the two warring sides "But don't ya think this is a bit mu-?"

BAD MOVE.

Before Felix could say another word, he was attacked by an AVALANCHE of snow balls, the little man in blue buried so deep the only thing that remained seen was his hat atop a huge lump of snow.

"Enough?! There is no such thing as enough!" laughed Vanellope "NOW TEAM TOP-SHELF! ATTACK!"

The children screamed loudly as the snowballs began to fly again. Flailing about, Felix managed to did himself out but the snow was still going everywhere and even worse, he was trapped! There was no way he could make it back to the door with things like this!

"Maybe I should have just coded for THREE FEET!"

* * *

"Okay, so we add how much butter?"

"Just cone cup." Mary smiled as she helped Calhoun with the pies "Too much and the dough will be much too slimy."

"Urgh, I'd hate to see the outcome of that…." The marine shuddered but her focus turned to the trash bin not too far away, the thing filled with some of her early 'attempts' "Of course, if we add SLIMY to my list, I think I'll have a complete set."

"Oh, don't talk like that dear." Mary said "A perfect pie is something you can't make in just ONE afternoon! It takes time, skill, and love!"

"That's easy for you ta say though, Ma'am." The marine huffed "You're PROGRAMMED to make pies! Of course you can do it."

Mary fell silent, her hands freezing in place as she rolled out the dough. It was at that moment Calhoun knew she had said something that hadn't gone over too well with the small woman, regret already filling her mind.

"I mean-!"

"Young lady…." Mary said, her voice surprisingly calm "Yes. Yes, I am CODED to 'make' pies but there is more to it than that."

"I know that. I just wasn't thinkin' about what I was sayin'….."

"If I were to just 'make' a pie, I would follow the boring code that I know. No change, no variety….."

The Nicelander in pink continued her preparation of the dough, rolling the surface rather roughly this time.

"I know everyone thinks it's…SILLY for me to love pie so much but that's because I enjoy the look on people's face when I hand them out! Felix, you, Ralph, EVERYONE in the arcade!"

"Um, Ms. Mary?"

"Oh, I could just 'make' pie, dear. I could just 'MAKE' it but I don't! I don't because I know people deserve better than some block of bland pixels, they need something good, exciting and FILLING to bring them out of their dark mood!"

"Ms. Mary?"

The Nicelander was kneading the dough as if she were grabbing someone's arm roughly, Calhoun taking a few steps back.

"Do you really think I would subject ANYONE to something like that? Do you think I would dedicate all my time, my LOVE to something like that?! I know it's not much, I know making pie or cake or cookies or baking ANYTHING isn't as flashy as shooting someone's head off or doing massive kicks with legs or throwing punches but this is what I LOVE! This is what I LOVE to do and if **_I_** can say anything about it, I would very much **_LIKE IT IF SO MANY PEOPLE AROUND HERE WOULD STOP ACTING SO UPPITY AND SAYING THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE BAKES, THEY'RE FALLING INTO SOME STEREOTYPE OF _**-!"

"MS. MARY!"

Mary stopped in her tracks, finally snapping out of her tirade and glancing up at Calhoun.

If there was one thing that ALWAYS threw people for a loop, it was seeing Mary upset and given how shocked she looked, Calhoun didn't want to see what would happen if things were to go on even further.

Mary laughed in embarrassment, her cheeks flashing red "Oh…I-I guess I got a little carried away with that."

"Eh-heh, it's the holidays. W-we all get a little nervous." Calhoun grimaced, scooting away just a tad.

"As I was saying before my little outburst…." Mary breathed out "When you put love into your pie, love into your work, the results will be so much better."

Calhoun smiled a bit, understanding the words that Mary was telling her. It was obvious that the marine was too hard pressed on making a pie that was 'perfect', not one that everyone would actually enjoy. She then began to think of Felix, the love of her life, and the joy he brought to her.

His hugs, his kisses, his smile. They always put a smile on her face and brightened her day.

It was becoming clear now. She began to relax, she began to calm down.

And since the two had begun baking, Calhoun began to feel at home.

"Yeah….yeah. I get ya on that." Calhoun said warmly "It's just so amazing what a little baked good can do. How much it can make someone happy."

"Indeed." Mary smiled "Of course, we wouldn't be in this mess **_IF A CERTAIN BIG-BOOTIED MAYOR BY THE NAME OF GENE HADN'T EATEN EVERYTHING IN SIGHT!"_**

**_"DAMN IT MARY, I DIDN'T EAT THOSE CAKES!"_** Gene called out from somewhere out of view.

"Don't you lie, mister! I know you!"

"Aw, give me a break honey!"

"So….how's he behaving?" asked Calhoun.

"Like the big child that he is…" Mary smirked "But I have to say, I do enjoy that he's finally starting to calm down. After thirty years, I'm glad he's shaking off all that tension."

"Humph! Ya want Gene ta calm down? I wouldn't mind if Felix stepped it up a few notches but meh, he's such a cute lil softy…" Calhoun snickered.

**_"AURGH! AURGH STOP!"_**

The two women turned towards the window, watching as Felix was pelted mercilessly by a barrage of snowballs. The man screamed for his life before winding up PLANTED against the window, his nose and cheeks smushed on the glass as more snowballs struck him from every corner.

The only thing Mary and Calhoun could do was stare, stare as Felix slid down onto the ground, a large imprint of his face still left on the glass. Mary took a cautious step forward but Calhoun held her back, shaking her head.

"H-He'll be fine. He'll be fine."

_"Can't….feel…faaaaaaaaaace."_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three- Snow, Pie, and Tears

Snowanna sat in the apartment, dazing dreamily as the soft sounds of the violins played around her. Crumbellina and Don seemed to be enjoying themselves, partaking in yet another duet.

"Heh, you've been in this arcade for HOW LONG and I'm only now learning you can play this well?" the sailor smiled.

"I tend to keep my music to myself…." Crumbellina said "It's only been recently since I've let others hear it."

"Well, I'm glad that you've finally decided to share your talents! It's nice knowing someone else here appreciates the violin!"

The two continued with their music but even though Don had left his door open, no one noticed Nel and Taffyta going up the hall with a few spare snow shovels in their hands.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" asked the strawberry racer "I mean, what if it doesn't work?"

"Heh, trust me kid." Nel snickered "This is GONNA work! You'll see!"

"Umm…this won't KILL anyone. Will it?"

"In the thirty years I'VE been here, no one's died so quit your worrying kiddo!"

Taffyta and Nel made their way up towards the apartment roof but down below another battle was taking place.

* * *

"Okay guys, ya left me no choice!" Felix said angrily "I ASKED ya ta calm down with this snowball fight but seein' as ya won't, I guess I have no choice but ta join in!"

"Hey, this wouldn't have been an issue if ya hand't made it snow so much, ya know!" barked Ralph.

"An' WHY did I make it snow?" Felix chuckled "WHO was tha one who implied my wife's cookin' was bad? Hmm? HMMM?"

"Don't deny it!" said Vanellope "We saw the look on your face. You were thinkin' tha same thing!"

"NO I W-!" Felix cut himself off as he stood before the two "Ya know what? FINE! Ya want war, then let it begin."

"Hold on a second…" Ralph said "Ya wanna FIGHT us now?"

"That's what I said." Felix smiled, crossing his arms.

"Aw, NO WAY! You're join' NOUGIE'S SIDE?!" Vanellope said, her jaw dropping.

"HA!" the pink popsicle girl laughed "We got us Felix! We got us Felix!"

"Bah, doesn't matter!" grumped Vanellope "Ralph can out throw ya guys an-!"

Before Vanellope could even think about finishing her sentence an onslaught of snowballs whipped around her. Ralph pulled her down behind the massive snow wall but the spray did not stop!

"What tha-?!"

The two peaked over the wall, seeing Felix tossing snowball after snowball towards the group.

"Ya got somethin' ta say now? Hmmm? The repairman laughed "Or are ya surrenderin'?"

"Ya didn't tell me he could throw that good!" Vanellope growled, grabbing Ralph by his chin.

"He's used ta spinnin' around on his feet, this isn't anything new to him!"

The battle only picked up outside, the two teams wailing on each other but inside the apartment was another story. Gene entered the building from the back door, shivering from the cold.

"Well, no signs that someone from EAST Niceland came in here…" the man said to himself, rubbing his hands. He looked down at his watch; he only had half an hour to retrieve the baked goods Mary had accused him of stealing but he was no closer to finding the culprit than when he started. He moaned, his fingers massaging pounding temples.

"I should be USED to stupid things like this happening around me."

"You mean she STILL won't come out of her bed room?"

Gene looked over, seeing Lucy talking to Nolan.

"Yeah, poor Meggy is still bawlin' her eyes out over the thing!"

"Poor Meg indeed…" the tennis coach sighed, shaking his head "And here I thought she was looking forward to the holidays too."

"Wait, what's wrong with Meg?" Gene asked as he approached his neighbors.

"Well, according to what Lucy has told me, Meg is having another repeat of what happened back in ninety-one."

The mayor arched his brow "Ninety-one?"

"Yeah, when she was paired up with Don for Secret Santa!" said Lucy "Now she's sealed herself up in Dee-Dee's bedroom an' won't come out."

"What?!" Gene said "But I thought she had gotten over that!"

**_"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"_**

Everyone looked up, the sounds of Meg's piercing cries flowing throughout the entire apartment. A tired look on her face, Lucy pointed up towards the ceiling.

"Does that SOUND like she's over it?"

"Okay….maybe putting those two together wasn't a good idea…." Gene winced, certain that plaster was now flaking to the floor from the screeching cries "But I was certain she would at least TRY this time!"

"Ya know how she is…" Lucy said casually, putting her arms behind her back "Ya put those two in a room together, she turns into a mouse. Granted, I don't know what she sees in the old fart but hey, c'est la vie!"

"Oh, c'est la vie my butt…." Gene grumbled.

"Genie?"

"Nolan? Look, I know we're busy right now…." Gene said in a desperate tone "But can you please, PLEASE help get Meg out of Deanna's room? "

"An' you can't do it WHY, Mayor Bootyshorts?" said Lucy "At least with you, she'll follow orders!"

"Sorry but I can't! I have so much stuff to do right now I don't know if I'm coming or going!"

"Don't worry about it, Gene. I'll get it her out." Said Nolan "Just….just be on standby, it might take a while."

"I don't care! As long as she stops all that MEWLING!"

"Hey, I could have helped as well!" Lucy pouted "Why didn't you aske ME? I'm like her best friend an' all!"

Gene gave Lucy one look….and then left the room.

"HEY! HEEEEEEEEEEEEY! Gene, don't leave me hangin' ilke that!"

"C'mon, Lulu…" Nolan said "Might as well get going…."

* * *

"Question."

"Yes, young lady?" asked Mary.

"How in the world do ya manage to weave those pie slivers so neatly?" the marine asked, clumsily working with the pie dough "Everythin' keeps fallin' apart in my hands!"

"Don't handle it so roughly, dear. Just do it like this!"

Calhoun was on what had to be her fifth attempt at making a pie but this time, she felt like she was actually enjoying it. She knew she had gone into the 'bet' with the intentions to prove to everyone that being tough didn't mean she was unable to make something as simple as a pie but now she no longer cared about that.

As she stood in the kitchen with Mary, Calhoun was actually enjoying herself and enjoying watching the little woman by her side create in the process.

"Mary, you're a Pie Angel, do ya know that?" Calhoun chuckled "But don't ya ever get tired?"

"Tired?" the tiny woman asked "You mean as in, tired of baking pies?"

"No, I mean TIRED in physically tired. You've done ALL of this, an' yet ya keep goin' an' goin'! I have soldiers who pass out after a third round of Cybug huntin', but from what I hear ya can go on your feet for days!"

"Oh, hush! That's just an exaggeration!" the Nicelander laughed "Shooting Cybugs shouldn't even be compared to making pie!"

Calhoun looked at the mess of a pie before her, the dough ribbons knotted up into a bunch "Huh. Ya can say that I guess."

"If it means anything to you dear, I'm glad you came down here to help."

A warm smile came upon the marine's face "Thank you. Thank you, so much. That actually means a lot to me."

There couldn't have been a more peaceful moment between the two than that, the baking continuing.

It's amazing what the holidays can bring out in people.

* * *

"Meg! MEEEEEEEEEG!" called Deanna, knocking on her door "For programmer's sake, PLEASE come out of my room!"

"I DON'T WANNA!"

Deanna coughed again, wanting noting more than to THROW herself on the couch but she couldn't let Meg win.

"Meg, its Christmas! WE DON'T NEED THIS SH-!"

"Dee-Dee!" Nolan said in shock as he entered the apartment "Hi, Gene told me there was something going on in he-?"

Deanna simply pointed to the door, lurching back to her couch "You take charge. I feel like I'm going to pass out."

"Wait, what happened?"

If Nolan was waiting for a response, he didn't get one. Deanna was already asleep on the couch, the comforters pulled over her.

"QUITTER." Lucy grumbled, hitting Deanna with a pillow.

_"Urf, go away." _

A TERRIBLE howl of a cry erupted from Deanna's room, everyone's attention returning to the sobbing Nicelander inside.

"Oh, right. Meggy."

"Sweetie, just hear me out for a second." Said Nolan as he approached the door "All of this is going to keep happing if you keep locking yourself up like this."

"I-I guess that's how it should be then!" sobbed the woman who was now ducking behind Deanna's bed "I-It's not like Don would notice or CARE anyway!"

"What do you mean by that?" asked Nolan "Don's always been so sweet to you! You act as if he wouldn't notice such a trinket!"

"A-are you kidding? It's like everytime I DO try to talk to him, he never notices me or something happens to get in the way!"

"Oh, that can't be true…." Reassured Nolan "I-!"

"Nolan? REALLY?" Lucy said, arching a brow as she looked up at her neighbor "This is DON we're talking about here. DONALD."

"Hmmmm. Yeah, you do have a point."

**_"AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!"_**

"GUYS!" shouted Tony "Is there anythin' else we can do?!"

"Ya know somethin'?" Lucy puffed in an angry tone "I'm sick of seein' Meggy act like this year after year! If someone has ta drop tha ball here, its gonna be me!"

"Wait, LUCILE! Don't do that!" Nolan gasped, surprised that the young woman would even consider doing such a thing "I think it would be a lot better of Megan did this herself!"

**_"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAURGH!"_**

"Do ya THINK Meg is in any condition ta talk ta Don right now? DO YA?!"

Nolan looked at the door nervously "W-Well, maybe if we calmed her down a bit?"

"Uh, why is there WATER steaming from under the door?" asked Tony.

"Nope, sorry. Not waitin' for it."

"Lucile, don't you dare!" cried Nolan but he was too late, Lucy had already ran out of the apartment on her way to search for Don. Nolan could do nothing more around the apartment in a complete mess on how to prevent the brewing drama that was coming.

"Dee-Dee, DEE-DEE! You have some other-worldly powers to get Lucy to stop acting like this! Do something!"

Nolan was expecting one of Deanna's cold responses as usual.

_"Snnnnnnrk…."_

Instead he just got a lot of snoring.

"Anthony, how do you handle your sister?"

The younger Nicelander blinked off before realizing Nolan was addressing him "Excuse me, were ya talkin' ta me?"

**_"_****_PROGRAMMERS! WHY WAS I PROGRAMMED TO BE THE SHYEST?! ITS NOT FAIR!"_**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four- SURPRISE!**

A battle was happening upon the snow-covered lawns of Niceland.

Snow and ice were being thrown.

People were running about, ducking for cover and safety under the grey, chilled skies.

Vanellope and Ralph huddled against each other, regretting the thought that the others did have some advantages against them in the frosty melee. Vanellope might have had her glitch and Ralph his size, but the racers ha their own skills and advantages that proved rather deadly in the fight.

_And then there was Felix._

"Can ya PLEASE remind me why we're doin' this again?!" Ralph growled, his arms protecting his face from the hailstorm of pixel snow.

"I dunno…." Vanellope said through gritted teeth, feeling the flaking snow sting her skin "I had somethin' ta do with….I don't know, shut up!"

_"C'mon oooooout…._" sang the maddened tones of Felix, the normally friendly repairman holding an armful of snowballs in his hand and looking about eagerly for his friends "I thought ya wanted ta have fun with this. Don't tell me you're hidin' awaaaaaay!"

Ralph sank even further towards the ground _"Yeah, he's gone nuts…."_

"Hide?!" Vanellope gasped, sounding offended "NEV'AAAAAAAAAAH! We shall-!"

"VANELLOPE! GET DOWN!" Ralph shouted as he pushed his friend down, only to get nailed three times in the face by slush, two piles of snow hitting him perfectly on the eyes while the other landed on his nose. Vanellope looked up, whistling.

"Hmmm, ya need a pipe an' a top hat for that? I think THAT would complete the look!"

Ralph growled in anger, the heat from him causing the snow to melt off.

Oh yeah, he was ready now.

"Vanellope, get back."

"Why?"

Ralph was already mounding up a huge wad of snow in his hands "Just….Look out."

"That was AWESOME!" cheered Gloyd "Can ya teach me how ta pitch that fast?"

Felix snickered haughtily "Well, it's all in tha wrist kid! Years of hammer twirlin's what did it for-!"

"EVERYONE! WATCH OUT!"

The other children ran as fast as they could from a great shadow that was sailing from the sky but Felix was a second too slow. He only had a second to look up as a MASSIVE snow ball fell atop him, burying him in an instant.

"HO HO HO!" Ralph laughed "MERRY CHRISTMAS, **_PUNK!_**"

"Wow, is he DEAD?" asked Sticky as she ran up to the pile, seeing nothing in response to the man inside.

"Aw, no fair! NO FAIR!" shouted Gloyd "Who's side are ya on?!"

"No one's!" shouted Vanellope "YOU'RE tha ones who attacked us first!"

"Well, who was tha one who were too slow ta move when the battle began, HUH?!" shouted Nougetsia, sticking out her tongue.

"Ralph, get ready to throw…."

"With pleasure…." Ralph cackled, cracking his knuckles.

"Someone, dig Mr. Felix out before he freezes to death!" said Swizz as he began reaching in and pulling out chunks of snow.

"If he hasn't responded now, then who-!"

The pile began to shake, the children backing off.

"W-what the-?!"

And with a rather showy explosion, Felix BURST through the snow, fist held high in the air and snow in the other.

"Think ya can get me THAT easily?!"

Ralph looked up, spellbound by the pose his friend was making in the air, so much so that he failed to notice the snow bombs coming down on him.

"I knew he wouldn't stay down for-!"

*BAP! BAP BAP BAP **_BAPBAPBAPBAP!*_**

"Ralph!"

Ralph lay on his back on the ground, an annoyed glint in his eyes and every inch of him covered in snow.

"I hate snow. I really, REALLY do."

"ON TO BATTLE!"

* * *

"That's five pies down!" Mary quipped "Only…only so many to go."

The woman sighed but a smile remained on her face. She was still a little miffed at Gene for what had happened earlier but she knew that it wasn't as bad as she was trying to convince herself it was. After all, she had the best help in the arcade.

"Darn it!"

"Dear, are you sure you don't need help with that?" Mary said, worry in her voice. Calhoun said nothing, holding out a hand.

"N-no, no. I got this. No need ta worry a fuss over me!"

"Sweetie, you've been on your feet for HOURS and aside from that, you're supposed to be taking a BREAK! I never wanted you to put in so much work, all because of some silly bet!"

"It's not just because of the BET, Mary!" Calhoun roared, losing her temper but after seeing the surprised look on Mary's face, the marine knew she had gone a wee bit too far.

Gracious, it was CHRISTMAS EVE, not another Cybug rally! She was really letting this pie thing get to her.

"S-Sorry about that, ma'am. I-I know we're supposed ta be havin' fun here but…."

"Yes, dear?"

"How can I have fun with the fact I can't even make a simple PIE loomin' over me!"

"Sweetie, there IS more to life than just pie. I thought I already told you that."

"But Maaaaary!" Calhoun whined, sounding as if she were talking to Mary as if she were her mother "I just want to make Felix happy!"

"Happy?" the woman said in a surprised voice "HAPPY? Are you serious?"

"Yes I am…." Calhoun moaned, her head resting on the counter "When I see his eyes light up whenever he eats one of your pies, I don't-!"

Before the marine could finish, she felt the strong tug of something grabbing her by the collar. She turned, surprised to see Mary glaring at her angrily.

"Now you listen to ME, Sargent Tamora Jean Calhoun!"

Full name; Calhoun KNEW she was in trouble!

"I don't know WHERE you got it in your head that you have NEVER made Felix happy before but get rid of it! In the thirty years I have known that boy, I have never seen him shine so bright as I have when he's with you!"

Calhoun blushed a bit, but tried her best to look stoic in the face of the tiny woman "W-well, that's all fine an' good but-!"

"But what?" Mary said "What more could you possibly do?"

Calhoun was so embarrassed she just didn't know what to say.

But she had to. If not to her own husband, then to who?

How about someone she trusted? Someone she knew who would always listen to her.

Someone like Mary?

Calhoun stood up, picking Mary up and carrying her to the couch.

"OH!"

"O-Okay, look…." The taller woman said "I love Felix. I love him more than anything in the world but…but I still feel like I could always do MORE to show him that."

"Dear, the things you have done for that man…." Mary said, her voice sweet and her smile warm "How could you even THINK you're not doing enough?"

"I-It goes back to the pie!" Calhoun said "And…and YOU."

"Me?" Mary blinked, pointing to herself.

"Yes, yes you." The marine breathed out, the confession coming out this time "When…..when I see you and Gene together…..I….."

Now MARY was the one blushing.

"Y-Yes?"

"I never noticed it before until I started datin' Felix but when I saw how happy Gene got when ya gave him your pies….I realized that was somethin' I wanted from Felix."

Mary was stunned into silence, her chubby cheeks turning even brighter than before. She realized that she had been giving Gene more pies than before since they had started getting closer….

But she was unaware that Calhoun was watching her, watching and desiring the same thing.

"O-oh! Th-that's just nothing!" Mary stammered, trying to push away the embarrassment she felt "G-Gene is just greedy so I-!"

"Pft, maybe so…" Calhoun chuckled, rubbing her nose "But, no. NO. That's pure bliss I see on his face. An' tha way BOTH of ya just seem ta forget about all tha insanity that goes on around here with just a slice of pie? That's LOVE, ma'am. That is pure, tasty flaky crusted love!"

Calhoun sat back and crossed her legs together, her hands going behind her head "Ya know, I would have believed everyone's stories that Gene was just some short, sawed-off crust had I not seen how he really acts around ya."

_"Calhoun, please…."_

"But I guess the old sayin' goes with EVERYONE. Ya can't judge a book by its cover. Or should I say, ya can't trust a pie by its fillin'? Does that make better sense?"

Mary wrung her hands together but she could feel the coolness of the wedding ring in her palms. It was starting to become clear as to why Calhoun was so frantic to come to her to learn how to make a pie but with all the feelings flooding over, the tiny woman found herself unable to hide her shyness.

"Ah, why must you do this to me, young lady?" Mary laughed sheepishly "Here I am trying to play cool here but you're breaking me down every second you get."

Calhoun snickered playfully, poking Mary on her cheek "Oh hoooo, did I find Big Bad Mary's weakspot?"

The small woman pushed Calhoun's hands away from her, all a fluster to try to gather her composure "Calhoun!"

"Aw, don't feel embarrassed by it Mary!" Calhoun smiled "What can I say? We both love those doofy hubbies of ours."

"Hmmph, now that I can agree!"

"Still though, I just wish I could make a pie as good as yours. If anything to see Felix's light up the same way I see Gene's when you give him a slice."

"Gene's eyes light up with any prospect that I'm going to give him FOOD. It's been like that for YEARS." tittered Mary "Ah, but that's beyond the point. Dear, there's no reason for you to stress yourself over something as silly as making the so-called PERFECT pie. Yes. Yes, I do love to see Gene looking so happy when I give him a treat but I love to see him happy at any moment! Not just with pie!"

"Yeah, I get what you're sayin'….." Calhoun smirked "It's just the simple things though that hit me right in tha ticker. A simple thing such as a pie!"

"A kiss." Mary cooed.

"A hug!" Calhoun chuckled.

"A good-morning snuggled." Sighed the Nicelander.

"A wink!" the marine grinned.

"Being able to hold his squishy cheeks in your hands…." Mary grinned brightly, eight-bit hearts swirling over her head.

"That silly little squee he makes when something makes him happy…" Calhoun smiled, shaking her head as she thought about her husband.

It then hit the two. In that little moment they shared, both Nicelander and Marine realized that they had more in common than they would have every DREAMED of.

How things have turned.

Anyone who would have seen the two would have never guessed that they would become so close, that they would become friends but here they were, sharing with each other the very thing that made them so happy and that was the simple act of showing the person, the one person with whom they loved so much, how they really felt.

It was a silly little feeling at first but the two smiled.

"Wow." Calhoun said with another chuckle "Um. I-"

"You know something?" Mary said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Forget what the others told you."

"About what, ma'am?"

Mary got back up and took a hold of Calhoun's hand, leading her back to the kitchen "Whatever they said about you baking pies. Those silly children, they don't understand that a pie does not have to look perfect to show love."

"Oh?" Calhoun smiled, a brow arched.

"Nope!" Mary retorted, placing her apron back on as she got right back to work "Just create with your heart dear. Think about Felix. Think about how much you LOVE him and how much you CARE about him. That's all you should think about when baking for the person you hold so dear."

Calhoun began to mirror Mary's movements with the ingredients, though not as gracefully "That's all I should care about, eh? Should I also care about making sure the thing doesn't give him FOOD POISONING?"

"Well, that too but c'mon. I have more faith in you than THAT!"

"Thanks, ma'am…." Calhoun said "Thanks."

* * *

"So HOW much snow do you need to pack on?" asked Taffyta as she shoveled ANOTHER large pile of snow to the side of the roof, Nel doing the same next to her.

"Oh, just enough, just enough! Don't pack it too hard though! That will cause it to solidify and then we'll have ICE instead of soft snow on our hands!"

Taffyta never thought in a million years she would be participating in such an act with a NICELANDER and even though she continued to shovel snow atop the building, she dare not ask the reason why. Aside from that, Nel seemed to be enjoying in whatever she was doing, instructing the young racer on her 'plan' she had yet to fully disclose.

"Um, promise me again no one is going to DIE from this, please?"

"Don't worry, don't worry!" Nel laughed, waving a hand daintily before the racer "I can promise you this!"

"And what's that?"

"They'll think twice about throwing snowballs at you after this is done!"

How things had turned; Taffyta remembered she did want a little payback from the other racers when they dragged her into their impromptu fight but now she wasn't so certain of things.

But if Nel said things wouldn't be that bad….

"Ah well, at least it'll make GLOYD shut up…." The girl said, taking more snow.

* * *

The hour was almost up and Gene had yet to catch the culprit of the baked goods and to no one's surprise, the man was NOT in a good mood because of it.

"This is RIDICULOUS!" the mayor growled to himself as he stomped his way back to the apartment "How could someone make off with THAT much food without so much as a-?!"

_*CREEEEEEEEAK!*_

The man made a tiny little yelp but dove behind the corner, seeing a little figure creeping from his apartment into the penthouse. Gene's jaw dropped open, shocked that someone would be so brazen as to pull such a stunt in broad view of everyone.

"I knew it!"

The figure, covered by the shadows in the hall, looked back and forth but didn't seem to notice the tiny, chubby man glaring at them some distance away. The culprit had been caught and all Gene needed to do was finally corner them! But the man was alone; the others were up all and about doing whatever they were doing and if he were to leave his post, the thief would surly get away.

This was something he was going to have to take on his own.

"Not a problem…." Gene huffed, filled with too much anger to be scared of anything at this point "Besides, I'm sure they'll be surprised to see what a Nicelander can do when their wife's baked goods are SNATCHED!"

Gene tip-toed to the penthouse, sneaking and moving as gracefully as he could along the walls of the hall. The door to the penthouse was cracked open but he could hear the bandit inside, the tinkling of the cupboards clear in his ears.

"Ah, they're by the bar…." The man whispered to himself "If I move in just right….!"

Gene ducked, moving nearly on his hands and knees towards the door. He peered in, seeing the figure taking other goodies with them and opened the door ever so gentle.

Not a noise was to be heard.

The mayor crawled in, surprisingly light for a person of his 'unique' shape, but he was on a mission and nothing was going to stop him. He rolled behind the couch and looked over, the oblivious figure putting a few cakes and pies into what seemed to be a large sack.

The same cakes and pies he and Mary had loving made together.

No one was going to steal his wife's creations and get away with it!

"_Those lessons at Punch-Out are going to be worth it now!"_ the man said to himself, breathing in deep as he readied himself for the pounce "NOW I HAVE Y-!"

A terrified scream filled the room as Gene leapt up and rushed the figure but they proved to be too fast for him, diving out of the way just as Gene landed right on his face on the floor. His nose hurt a great deal but he recovered surprisingly quickly, glaring at the figure as it ran towards the door.

"Oh no, you DON'T!"

Gene looked over and grabbed his right shoe, taking it off and CHUCKING IT towards a potted plant. As soon as the thing was struck, a chain reaction had begun.

The pot fell over and rolled over to one of the small coffee tables, which was knocked to its side which hit a chair, which fell over onto a small book shelf which toppled over and spilled its contents onto the floor. The escaping thief ran right into the path of the books, its feet getting tangled in the mess as they fell over!

"OOF!"

And a small spark of light came through only to dim out once again.

And if that were not bad enough, the thief had fallen just shy of the door, its fingers reaching out with just enough length that instead of making it OUT the door, they touched it and CLOSED IT.

"Now…." Gene said in a gruff tone, not at all pleased at the sight "I think it's time for us to have a TALK."

The penthouse was still dark and Gene could not make out the face of the intruder but the eyes of the person showed as clear as they.

They looked…

Sad?

"N-No, don't!"

"I don't have time for this!" Gene growled, reaching down and snatching the culprit roughly around the wrist "Do you KNOW what kind of chaos you have brought here?! What makes you think you can-!"

"I'M SORRY MR. MAYOR NICELANDER GENE!" cried the voice "I-I JUST WANTED TO-!"

Mr. Mayor Nicelander Gene?

There was only ONE person in the arcade, ONE character who Gene even ALLOWED to call him in such a manner.

His eyes widened as he looked forward, his free hand going out and flipping on the lights.

"W-WHAT?!"

* * *

"Ya kids could watch these two play all day, couldn't ya?" Chuckled Norwood as he watched Snowanna and Adorabeezle sit in utter bliss as Crumbellina and Don continued to play their violins.

"I could…." Sighed the small popsicle racer "It's just so beautiful. So sweet, so peacef-!"

"NICELANDER DONALD, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Everyone in the apartment near fell over, Crumbellina hitting a note that could bust any eardrum.

"Gah, Lucy!" Norwood said in shock as he turned to see the young woman standing, rather angrily, at the door "Cripes, girly! What's gotten into y-?!"

Lucy ignored Norwood's question and marched right up to Don, standing on her tip-toes to face him.

"DONALD."

The sailor was a little confused at the confrontation; just what did Lucy want with him?

"Ah?"

Crumbellina ducked out of the way "What's going on?"

"Don't know…." Norwood said "But ya kids want some popcorn? This is gonna get GOOD!"

"Don, what day is it?" Lucy said, hands on her hips, eyes cutting into the man "Tell me."

"Christmas Eve?" the man replied, rightfully confused.

"Ah-huh? An' what else?"

"Uh…."

Don looked around, his mind coming to him as he glared down at the smaller Nicelander.

"Wait a second, care to explain to me WHY you so graciously decided to come into my apartment in such a mood?"

"I'll tell ya why!" Lucy blurted "There is someone in' Dee-Dee's room cryin' her eyes out over ya!"

"Who?!" Don blurted, losing his battle to keep his temper down.

"Oooh, so THAT explains that horribly sound from upstairs!" Snowanna said "I thought someone was DYIN'!"

"Ya can NOT tell me you're that dense!" Lucy said, putting her face in her hands.

"You know, I would like to know what in the ARCADE is going on! I mean, if I'm at fault for something here, it would be NICE to know what it is!"

Without saying so much as a word, Lucy reached up and grabbed Don by his fat cheeks.

"BLURGHT!"

"Donald, Donald? Look at me…" the woman said, pointing to her eyes "My eyes. Look into 'em."

Don tried to fidget away but Lucy had him in her hold TIGHT "Mmgh! LUCILE!"

"DON."

"WHAT?!"

"Megan?"

"YEETH?!"

"She-."

"Lu-THEE, lethhh go!"

"Is-!"

"LUCY!"

"In LOVE."

The final words were about to come, Lucy pulling Don close.

"WITH YOU!"

"Aaaw, how sweet!" Adorabeezle said, looking all aglow at the news "The tea-lady likes Captain Don!"

Norwood said nothing, complete horror on his face as he took the children into his hold and quietly snuck out of the room.

He knew what was coming next and he didn't want to see ANY casualties from it.

And Don?

Lucy still had him in his grasp but for the moment, it seemed that the man was more CONFUSED than anything else. He stood up, Lucy's hands letting go of his, sore, face.

"Ow…w-want to run that by me again, private?"

By now, a few other of the Nicelanders had gathered around the door way, getting as good a view they could.

"I'm gonna say this just one more time, big guy." Lucy said "Meg is CRYIN' in Dee-Dee's room right now. An' tha reason for it?"

"Yeeeees?"

"Don, she's too scared ta talk to ya. All because she LOVES you!"

Don blinked.

Don stared.

Inside, the inner working of the sailor's mind began to work. The word 'LOVE' echoed throughout every curve and corner of his brain. The words multiplied, the words spun around, they burrowed into his brain, spinning around like gears in a clock and finally-!

And finally!

***PEEP!***

And what happened next would live on in infamy in the halls of Niceland.

Tony looked over at Nolan "Do you think he-?"

**_"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURGH!"_**

It was a scream that EVERYONE in Litwak's could hear.

"Donald?!"

"**_OJ OJ OJ!_**"

"Yeah, he's freaked." Said Norwood.

Noting could reach the sailor by this time, the man still screaming in abject HORROR at what he had been told.

Apparently, this was news the man could NOT handle.

"Don, snap outta it!" shouted Lucy as she grabbed Don by the collar of his shit and SLAPPED him "We don't need any more noise!"

"OH! OH!" Don gasped, looking about "You mean-?! ALL THIS TIME-!? WHY DIDN'T SHE-?!"

"An' ya thought tellin' him a was a GOOD idea?" grumbled Nolan "Wow, great work here Lucy! GREAT WORK!"

"Don, seriously. You're takin' things too far." Lucy huffed "If ya don't like tha prospects of Meg likin' ya then-!"

"THAT'S NOT IT!" Don said, grabbing Lucy by her arms "WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME?! WHY DIDN'T I SEE THIS?!"

"DON?!"

Still panicking at what was happening, Don hurled Lucy to the ground like a rock "I-! SHE-! It's Christmas Eve!"

"Yeah, no duh…." Moaned Lucy, her side sore.

By now Don was pacing around the room like a maddened fool, "My gift! Her-!"

"Yeah, what about your gift?"

"IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" the man bawled loudly "I got her stupid owl figures! How _**DA HELL**_ is _**DAT**_ supposed ta measure up ta how she feels?!"

"Oh yeah, he's REALLY upset now!" Norwood smiled, the entire scene getting better and better for him.

"Don, please. There are children around."

Any advice that was given to the sailor was too late. Grabbing his coat and gloves, Don BOLTED from the apartment at speeds no one had ever seen a Nicelander run. He didn't even waste time for the elevator and instead almost THREW himself down the stairs and out the atrium doors.

Right out into the ongoing snowball battle outside.

"You'll never take us ALIVE!" shouted Vanellope, tossing snowball after snowball at her adversaries "Only one shall rise from the ices! Only ONE shall reign over all! ONLY ONE SHALL-!"

**_"MOVEMOVEMOVEMOVEMOVEMOVE!"_**

Everyone stopped in their place as a whirlwind rushed by them, the only thing visible to them being that of a small figure dressed in navy blue running as fast as they could towards the trolley.

"What in the-?!"

No questions were answered as the trolley took off, disappearing into the darkness of the cords. Everyone looked in shock at the sight but Felix noticed something laying on the path in the snow.

A familiar navy cap, a few patches of snow on it. Felix picked up the cap and dusted it off before returning his gaze towards the tunnels.

"Don?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five – Make Up**

"So how is she?" Tony asked Nolan in worry as he stood over Deanna, Nolan looking at the thermometer.

"One hundred and three…" the man said sadly, "Poor kid. Getting this sick during the holidays."

"Meg, come out!" Lucy said only a few yards away "I PROMISE ya, things are gonna get better. You'll see!"

"How can things get any better after you told Don how I really feel?!" Meg shouted from inside the bedroom, pulling Deanna's covers over her.

"Urgh, she's not touching my blankets, is she?" coughed Deanna "D-Don't let her! I-I don't want her tear-juice all over my things!"

"Dee-Dee, hush."

"It was necessary!" the younger Nicelander pleaded "If YOU weren't gonna do it, then who was? Ya know that Don sometimes needs a few HINTS for things ta sink in."

"LUCILE!"

"Guys, will you be QUIET?!" Nolan said, finally having had enough of his neighbors' bickering "For goodness sake! Dee-Dee's SICK, Meg is still going through a break down apparently and Don's gone NUTS all thanks to this!"

"Hey, I was just tryin' ta fix things." Lucy said, her hands up in defense "Ya can't blame me that things took a turn as they did."

"Why can't I?"

"Um, maybe I should get some medicine…." Tony said, slowly walking out of the room but as things were, the entire situation was only heating up.

Some were arguing, some were crying, some were SICK.

It was just one massive ball of energy and no one knew when it was finally going to stop.

"They do say the holidays bring out….well, it brings out SOMETHING." Snowanna said as she and the other racers watched on in awe.

And everyone thought that Sugar Rush had the nosiest occupants of the arcade.

"Oooh, this is just terrible." Meeped Adorabeezle, hating to see how the group of tiny people were fighting with each other "D-Do you think there's any way we can stop them?"

"Stop 'em, HA!" laughed Snowanna "It's like a tiger cage in there! Make one attempt to go in an' prepare to get eaten alive!"

"Meg, come out please!"

"Lucy, leave her alone!"

"I was just tryin' ta help!"

"Dee-Dee, are you alright?"

_"Ung, my HEAD…."_

It seemed that things were only getting worse.

But in the midst of all the chaos, in the midst of all the drama there was one person who felt she had to SAY something.

"Think this is gonna cut into our music time, Bellina?" Snowanna asked her friend but not an answer came. Snowanna looked up, shocked to see Crumbellina entering the room "Crumbellina?"

The girl walked through the mess as if nothing around her meant anything.

There was no chaos, no noise, just peace.

At Deanna's door, Lucy was still trying her best to convince Meg to come out but like her previous tries, the woman wasn't budging.

"Really? Should we all set up wait here an'-!?"

"Miss Megan?"

The room fell silent, all eyes on the tiny racer at the door.

"Miss Megan, can you hear me?"

From inside the room, Meg hid behind the bed but she was a little confused as to the new voice that was calling her.

"E-Excuse me? Who is that?"

"It's Crumbellina. Crumbellina Di Carmelo." The girl said, her tone soft "One of the racers from Sugar Rush, if you may recall."

Meg peeked over the bed, sniffling "U-uh. P-pardon if I don't recognize you, dear."

"That is quite fine." Crumbellina said, bowing her head "It is not as if I stand out that much when I am with my friends. I prefer to keep to myself. But if I am not mistaken, there seems to be a bit of a crisis going on right now."

Meg whimpered and ducked behind the bed again "Crisis? It's more than that!"

"Can you please explain to me what has gotten you so upset?"

"It's…it's….."

Meg shut her eyes tight, a wash of embarrassment crashing over her once more.

"H-How can you understand?! Th-this is happening all because I've been too SCARED to tell the one person I care about how I really feel about him! A-and apparently, things are only WORSE now that LUCY has told him!"

"HEY!"

"Lucile, SHHH!"

Crumbellina moved closer to the door, placing her hand on the frame "How much do you care about this person?"

"H-How do I CARE?" Meg said meekly "I care about him more than ANYTHING! I mean-! It's just…."

Meg had to calm herself down for a moment, pushing back the block that had formed around her.

"I-I know it's silly but….the reason I care about Don so much is because of how much he's always been there for me."

Crumbellina smiled, glad to see she was able to get some headway from Meg all the while keeping her from erupting into tears once more. Meanwhile, the other Nicelanders could only stand back and watch in awe at what was happening before them. Even when they were together in a GROUP, they had not been able to get Meg to talk in such a way before them.

But one kid…..

"Sheesh, is that her power or somethin'?" asked Tony, looking down at Snowanna and Adorabeezle. The snow-cone racer could only smirk at the sight before her.

"Heh, you don't know Bellina. She has a few tricks up her sleeve."

"Sounds to me you want to thank this person, Captain Don I mean." Said Crumbellina "I think that's wonderful."

"That's just it though…." Said Meg sadly "Will he even care? Would he even understand?"

"What exactly do you mean?"

"What I mean is, in the thirty years we've been together, I've never really gotten any sort of courage to tell him anything."

Meg drew her knees to her face, sniffling back a few tears.

"I've always been like this. I've always felt scared."

"But you told me that Don makes you feel happy."

"H-He does!" the woman replied "But what if he tells me that he finds me annoying or that he-!"

"Miss Megan?"

Meg looked over towards the door, the sound of the child's voice surprising her a bit.

"Miss Megan, please hear me out. I am not suggesting that you throw yourself in a grand manner towards Don but I want to think about this. You say you're scared that he finds you annoying and that is what is keeping you so far from him. If that were the case, why has he always helped you, time and again, and made sure that you're happy?"

Meg fell silent, realizing that the girl was right.

Don always did come to Meg first in times of crisis. Even if there were times where he would do something silly or acted a little clueless to her reactions towards him, he was there.

Time and time again.

If he didn't like her, why? Why was he always there?

Meg felt her heart starting to flutter; Crumbellina was right.

But she still felt shy, so painfully shy to say anything to him.

"Think about it. What would be better? To tell Captain Don how you feel or remaining silent? To never express your true feelings to the person you care about?"

To NEVER say anything?

To always be in the shadows, in the corner, away from the others?

Meg had always been that one.

The one who tried to hide but in all those years, had it made her life any more enjoyable?

Where had it gotten her?

"I…."

"Miss Meg?"

Silence filled the entire apartment but after a few moments, the group could hear the tumbler turning in the door.

"Meg?"

The door opened slowly and a small, sad looking periwinkle woman walked out.

_"S-sorry for all of this…."_

The Nicelanders gave a collective sigh, happy to see Meg come out.

"Oh, thank the PROGRAMMERS!"

"If there is anyone to thank I'd say it's this kid." Smiled Tony as he gave Crumbellina a pat on the shoulder "Wow, think ya can help us with EVERY fight here?"

The caramel racer smiled "I just wanted to help, that's all."

"Is Deanna okay?" Meg asked softly "I didn't mean to seal myself in her room with her being sick and all…."

"She'll do better once we get some medicine in her." Nolan said.

"Ungh, Meg?"

The group looked over to see Deanna shuffling under the cover "M-Meg, your present."

"M-My present?"

"D-Don's present for you…." The woman moaned "H-He asked me to hide it for you. It's been in the cupboard for a WEEK."

* * *

Don was running as fast as a Nicelander could into the busy halls of Game Central Station, even when it was clear he was out of breath.

"GOT TO-! GET-! BETTER GIFT!" the man panted, falling on his hands and knees "URGH! Too exhausted talk straight words!"

And with that, the man fell over on the ground, people walking around him as if he were just another decoration around.

He twitched, he coughed, he looked up with blurry eyes towards the great tree that glowed heavenly in the middle of the vast area.

It looked so beautiful, so calming…..

Calm.

That was what he needed but sadly the man felt that CALM was far from his reaches after what he had been told. He managed to pick himself up and stand on his feet, leaning heavily on a nearby wall.

"Smooth, Donnie. SMOOTH." He mumbled to himself "What kind of gentleman would lead a woman on like that for YEARS?! No wonder people think you're a joke!"

"Donald?"

The man turned, hearing a familiar voice calling his name but as he turned he was surprised to see a small figure dressed as Santa meeting his eyes. He looked around, a little cautious and uncertain if the figure was actually addressing HIM.

"Ah, you're talking to me RIGHT?"

Making certain that a few younger characters had not seen him, the figure walked up to Don and pulled down his beard revealing none other than…

"ROY?!"

"Shhhh, shhh!" the grey Nicelander whispered, hoping that the kids hadn't seen him "Not so loud!"

"I guess THIS explains where you've been all week." Don said, scratching his head.

"Yeah, part-time gig I've been doing for a while." Roy said, quickly replacing his beard and waving to a few passing patrons.

So ROY had been masquerading as a Santa all these years?

ROY?

The worry-wart of the Nicelanders. The guy who would pitch a fit if ANYTHING was out of place.

ROY.

Boy, if the others only knew.

"Don't tell anyone…." Roy whispered, knowing such a promise would never be kept with DON "I don't want to spoil it for anyone."

"Er, sure….between cousins?" Don glanced around.

"Between cousins." Roy nodded "And if I may ask again, what are you doing out here?"

"Um, let's just say that there was a secret back home that even had ME thrown for a loop. Even more than this!"

"You mean Meg finally told you?"

"Wait, YOU knew?!"

"Don, EVERYONE knows that Meg had a crush on you!"

Don began knocking his head against a wall, overcome with humility and guilty over what had transpired back at the apartments.

"Mommy, is that man trying to attack the wall?"

"Just look away, Bibi."

"Urgh, Roy you have NO idea how STUPID I feel right now!" the sailor growled in frustration "I PRIDE myself on knowing everyone. I mean, we're FAMILY! We're FRIENDS! But of EVERYONE in the apartment I'm OBLIVIOUS to!"

Don fell silent, looking down at the ground.

"I have to get her something better…"

"Better than what?"

"Better than the stupid lil thing I bought for her." Don said "A-After all of this?! After how long she's been PINING for me?! I can't just hand her something stupid and go 'Oh by the way, THIS is how I feel about you Megan! Hope it makes up for the THIRTY YEARS I've ignored you!"

"Don."

"Are there aren't good places still open?!" the man paced "What does she even like! I mean, I KNOW what she likes! Any good neighbor like ME would know what she likes! Jewelry?! A new dress?! A MAGICAL CROWN?! GAH!"

"Geezum CROW, Donnie! You're worse than ME!" Roy said as he took Don by his shoulder, shaking him slightly "Look, you know how Meg is. She'll love ANYTHING you give her."

"But Roy!"

Roy gave Don another shake "Don, seriously. Look at yourself. I've NEVER seen you this worked up since…since, well I don't think I need to TELL you the last time I saw you panicked."

"Take your pick. We've had PLENTY of disasters."

"Don, it's getting late." Roy said "Unless you want to stay here and help me hand out candy canes to these kid, I'm going to give you THIS bit of advice."

Don wasn't so sure how to feel at the moment. Most of the time, HE was the one who gave ROY advice, not the other way around!

"Just give her your gift and tell her the truth…." Roy said, his voice sincere "I think that is MORE than enough to show her how you really feel."

The sailor felt a bit of the guilt coming off his shoulders as Roy spoke to him, though he was still uncertain how things would turn out in the end.

Either way, he had to go back to Niceland and most of all he had to talk to Meg. Don let out a sigh running his hands through his hair.

"Okay, okay. You win, Roy. But if-!"

Don stopped.

Something was off.

His hat.

Where was his hat.

"Donald?"

"I came here with a hat, didn't I? DIDN'T I?!"

"Actually, when you fell out on the floor you didn't have it so-!"

"FOR CRYING OUT-!"

The day was only getting better, wasn't it?

Don gave Roy a wave as he bolted off, hopping back onto the trolley and hoping that not only would Meg want to speak to him again but someone knew where his cap was.

"Tis the FREAKIN' season."

Don arrived back at the apartments but in his haste, he failed to realize that another event was taking place before him. Jogging up the path, the man was much too busy retracing his steps to pay attention.

"So, I ran out but before then I came from the stairs and-!"

"GET HIM!"

Things were getting MUCH better.

Don looked up, he stood still, he held his breath.

All he saw was color. So many wild colors.

And then WHITE.

STARK, BLINDING, WHITE.

It seemed that the warriors outside found Don to be the PERFECT person to launch their next attack on and only an inch away from the door, Don found himself RIDDLED with snowballs. They came from EVERY direction; up, down, left, right!

He had not a chance to move as he was pelted from every angle.

* * *

"I wonder if those guys will ever stop out there…." Said Calhoun as she watched the battle from the warmth and comfort of the kitchen "It's like those guys have NEVER seen snow before!"

Mary sipped her cup of coco, shaking her head "You know how kids can be. Let them have fun!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six- Warmth**

"So, do you feel better now Meg?" Lucy asked, pouring the woman a cup of her own tea.

"I think I do…." Meg sniffed "I-I'm sorry for acting like a child back there. I know better than that."

"Hey, not all kids act like that. Give us some credit, ma'am." smiled Snowanna, seeing Meg giggle a bit.

"I'm sure you don't." replied Meg "I can tell you'd never let love overtake you like that."

"Urgh, all this mushy junk! I know it's Christmas but GEEZE!" snorted Lucy "You're layin' it on kinda thick guys."

"Gracious, I hope this means that things are back on schedule…." Crumbellina said as she looked at the wall-clock "I was hoping that the party would have begun by now. Where is everyone?"

"Well, from what I remember…." Adorabeezle began "I thiiiiink Ms. Mary took Calhoun off somewhere to cook, a bucnha people are outside fighting in the snow an' Taffyta an' Miss Nel went out to the roof with shovels!"

An explosion of tea BLASTED across the room, Norwood choking horribly.

"Ack, WHAT?!"

Adorabeezle ducked a bit, afraid she had upset the red-headed Nicelander "Um, I said that Taffyta and Miss Nel were on the roof with shovels. Is that a bad thing?"

Norwood didn't say a thing. Instead, he dropped his cup and saucer and ran out of the apartment, his footsteps disappearing down the hall.

"Guess that's another one gone." Said Snowanna.

"What in tha world think got him worked up so badly?" asked Lucy.

"I have no idea…." Said Meg as she got up "But if NEL is concerned, it must be something bad."

"Hey, where are ya goin'?"

Meg stopped at her door, looking at the others but from the smile on their faces they realized they had nothing to worry about.

After such a pep talk, Meg felt as if she could take on the world!

Or perhaps, she could actually talk to Don for once instead of shrinking away in the corner.

"I'm…I'm going out to find Don." The woman blushed, taking both her gift and his into her hands "I wouldn't want the dear to worry like this over me. After all, it IS Christmas."

* * *

"Is he DEAD?" asked Gloyd, poking the body on the ground with a stick.

"BLURTH."

"Dead people don't breathe…." Said Sticky, smacking the stick away "And I think I can see him breathing!"

Who were these voices? Who were making these sounds?

"Urgh, what?" mumbled a snow-covered Nicelander, seeing nothing but clouds of grey and bright, sugarfied colors.

"Oh! Not my fault!" Vanellope said, jumping back "This was not my fault, sir!"

Don felt as if his entire body had been pelted by frozen apples, his body sore and his head pounding.

"F-Felix?"

"A-ah-ha…." The repairman laughed nervously "W-Welcome back, sir."

"W-what the heck happened?" the sailor asked as he stumbled to his feet.

"Uh, ya should have SEEN it Captain Don!" Vanellope blurted "These purple monkey people came outta NOWHERE an' threw snowballs at ya an-!"

"Lay off kid…" Ralph said, putting a hand over the racer's mouth.

Don shook his head "Brrr! At least you guys were brave enough to chase those monkey fellows away! But I can't stop now, I have business to attend to!"

"Well, SOMEONE recovered quickly…" huffed Swizzle.

"Wait, Don! I have you hat!" Felix waved, the hat clutched in his hands but it was too late. Don had already gone into the apartments "Well, foo. Guess I'll just hafta give it to 'im later."

"Later?" Vanellope said, a brow arched a devious little smile on her face. Felix looked down, oblivious to the look.

"Yeah. Hope he doesn't get TOO upset without i-!"

"DOG PILE ON FELIX!"

"Wait, EXCUSE M-AAAURGH!"

There were cheers, there were laughs.

There was so much snow.

And all of it was aimed at Felix, the man pelted from every angle.

"Ack! Blarugh! I thought we were on TEAMS! I THOUGHT WE WERE ON TEAMS!"

A snowball fight never ends, it only GROWS.

* * *

"CANDLEHEAD?!" Gene gasped in shock as he looked down at the tiny, sobbing racer "I-! What-?!"

Eyes met eyes as the two characters looked upon each other, neither of them sure of what to say.

Of all the people Gene had suspected of lifting the treats, never in his life had he thought of CANDLEHEAD!

Wait, check that. The girl was KNOWN for having an appetite as voracious as his own. Maybe it WAS possible for her to eat the snacks but STEAL them? STEAL THEM?!

Gene was dumbfounded as he gazed down at the girl "I-! I don't know what to say!"

Candlehead whimpered, shrinking back towards the floor. Gene was still surprised at how things had turned and while he was glad to find the reason as to why all the party goodies had disappeared, he wasn't too happy who was behind it.

But if he wanted answers, he had to say something.

"Young lady!" the man said in a stern voice "I want an explanation, and I want it NOW!"

The little racer gulped. She knew she was in trouble and there was no running away now.

"I-I was-!"

Tiny feet tapped upon the floor, Gene crossing his arms against his chest "Yeeees? I'm waiting."

This was starting to be too much for poor Candlehead, the girl's eyes spilling over with tears as she finally broke down, wailing loudly.

"I JUST WANTED PEOPLE TA HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS! THAT'S ALL!"

Gene jumped back in shock at the crying child. He looked around, dreading the thought that people would come in and blame him for causing her such grief.

"Ehe, d-don't cry!" the man said in a poor attempt to calm the racer down. He patted her on the shoulder but she continued to blubber and sob "Aaww, th-there's no reason to be this upset, Candlehead. I just wanted you to tell me the truth! Not THIS!"

Candlehead finally managed to stop the deluge of tears, her lip quivering as she looked at Gene.

"See, all those tears for nothing." The man said with a weak smile, handing the girl a tissue. Candlehead dabbed the tears away but she looked as sad as ever.

_"Th-thank you."_

"Now, that that is over….." the man sighed, leading the girl to the couch "Please. Tell me why you took all that food. I know you ENJOY our cooking but-!"

Candlehead nodded "I-I just wanted ta take some snacks over ta some of tha people in tha arcade…." She began, a few more tears rolling down her cheeks "I-Its Christmas!"

Gene nodded "Ah-huh. You told me that."

"N-Not everyone is havin' as much fun as WE are, Mr. Mayor Gene…" Candlehead sniffled "I've been watchin' them since everyone started gettin' ready for tha holidays. An' tha more I thought about them, th-tha more upset I got."

To hear such words from the racer, to hear the confession, Gene found himself speechless but he couldn't remain quiet for long. He handed Candlehead another tissue.

"Go on, sweetie."

"I-I didn't think it was FAIR! There's so much stuff goin' on but….but I still can't make everyone happy."

After all this time, Gene had thought the culprit was once again ANOTHER arcade residence who made it their mission to mess with and harass the Nicelanders but to hear the truth….

He just couldn't muster up any will to be angry. How could ANYONE be angry at this point?

He looked down at the ground, feeling a little guilty that he had thought the worst because of what had happened and as he took another look at the saddened Candlehead.

"Sweetie?"

All of this effort because Candlehead wanted to make some people happy.

The racer sobbed softly, her face turned away from Gene "I-I know it was wrong of me a-an-an' I SHUDDA asked, but-!"

"Yes?" Gene asked, shaking his head "But WHAT?"

"But…. I didn't want ya ta be MAD at me."

"MAD?!" Gene said, surprised "Why-? Why would you think I would be MAD if you had just ASKED me to give you some cakes to give out? I would have said YES, no doubt!"

"Really?" the girl said, her eyes finally lighting up and a small spark appearing on her wick "Y-ya would have!"

"Of course! Why…" Gene put a hand behind his head, looking a tad nervous "Why would you think otherwise?"

Candlehead said nothing, looking down at her feet as she sat next to the Nicelander "I…I guess I was scared because of what everyone else said around tha arcade?"

"Hmmm?"

"'Bout ya still bein' kinda grumpy…" the racer said "I-I know I shouldn't have believed it an' all, PLUS! I know you're not as GRUMPY as ya USED ta be but I didn't wanna ruin your party but-!"

"Candlehead, dear." The man sighed. He was aware that talk still went around the arcade about how he and the other Nicelanders conducted themselves but he wasn't going to let such talk ruin what time was left before the party.

So Candlehead wanted to spread joy to others?

Fine, that's what he was going to do.

"Candlehead, I want you to understand one thing young lady."

The little racer felt a twinge of nervousness hit her as she heard Gene's tone.

"A-ah-huh?"

"While I would have PREFERRED that you ASK me before taking all those snacks, I am not made what your REASON behind what you did."

"You're not?"

Gene nodded "No. But, I still cannot let you walk away scott-free like this."

"Oh NOOOOOO!" wailed the racer, crying once more "I-I knew I was in trouble! I always mess things up because I'm so stup-!"

"Let me finish, let me finish." Gene said, putting a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder "In light of what has happened and because we STILL need snacks for this party AND your friends, as punishment you-"

Candlehead's eyes grew huge, looking like two ENORMOUS green saucers.

But there was something strange happened. As Candlehead looked on, she noticed the look on Gene's face.

The way his mustache was curling up.

He was….SMILING?

"And I shall prepare the missing goodies for this party was well as anything required to hand out to the rest of the arcade."

It was if the heavens had opened up right there in the penthouse, Candlehead stunned into complete silence as her eyes and wick glowed brighter than ANY star.

She was floored by the offer she had been give.

"Y-You-?"

Gene shook his head with a smile "Yes."

"W-w-want ME?"

"Mm-hmm…."

"TA COOK WITH YA FOR YOUR PARTY?!"

"Consider it a Christmas gift from me to you, young lady." The mayor smiled.

"EEEEEEE-YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Candlehead squealed in delight, fireworks ERUPTING from her candle. Gene had to take a step back from the girl, a little worried that someone would be set ablaze from all the sparks.

"Calm down, child!" Gene laughed nervously, brushing off his sleeves "Wow. Never thought I'd see you THIS excited since the wed-URGHTH!"

And then came the hugs.

The BONE-CRUSHING, LUNG-FLATTENING hugs.

"Oh, Mr. Mayor Nicelander Gene, THANK YOU!" Candlehead beamed, shaking Gene in her hold, ignoring that he was turning blue in the face.

_"Can't….BREATHE!"_

"Oh, we don't have much time do we?!" the girl gasped, dropping the Nicelander to the ground. Gene gasped for air, his short arms and legs reaching in the air.

"W-We will once we get all the ingredients back in o-our apartment!"

"Right!" Candlehead beamed "TA THA MASTER KITCHEN!"

And with that, Candlehead was gone.

But Gene?

"Young lady? YOUNG LADY?!" the mayor wailed, still trapped on the floor "Please come back! I can't get up!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven- FWUMP**

"More coco, sweetie?" Mary asked, bringing up another hot pot.

"Thank you, ma'am." Smiled Calhoun as she took a sip "There's nothin' like it. Nothin' like spendin' time with loved ones on such a beautiful evening like this."

"COME BACK HERE, BUTT-HASH!"

"NO, YOU BOOGER!"

Mary had to agree, a bright smile on her face "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Inside, Niceland was warm and cozy, smelling of fresh cut pine and straight-from-the-oven gingerbread.

Outside?

Outside there was a war going on.

And Calhoun and Mary had front row seats to the entire thing, everyone running for their lives as snowballs flew everywhere.

"So, do you think they'll ever stop?" asked Mary.

"I wanna see who drops first." Snickered Calhou as she took a bite out of a piece of pie "These kids would make EXCELLENT recruits."

"GAAAAAAAAAAAH! DON'T YOU DARE TRY TO PUT SNOW IN MY UNDERWEAR AGAIN, GLOYD!"

"NYEW-HA! Jubi's wet her pants!"

"YOU DID THAT!"

* * *

"Just keep digging! JUST KEEP DIGGING!" Nel cackled as she shoved more snow onto the sides of the building "That will show them all!"

Taffyta had never seen such darkness contained in a tiny person, the girl standing still and silent with the shovel clutched in her hands.

"Um, maybe I should have just went with my first plan of rolling creamed corn in snow…."

"They want to fight?!" the Nicelander laughed "Then I'll show 'em a FIGHT!"

"Ms. Nel, what is goin' on?!" Taffyta finally said, throwing the shovel to the side "You bring me up here an hour ago talking about revenge yet here we are, my hands numb and six feet of snow piled up on the side of the building! What are you doing?!"

Nel said nothing, slowly putting the shovel to the ground.

"Child, I want to tell you something."

"Yes?"

"You and I? We're not too different believe it or not."

Taffyta was a little confused by the comment but her ears were held "And how so?"

"Back in the day, way before you were even programmed….I TOO was the victim of countless snowball attacks from the AS-buttheads I have been confined to live with for the past thirty plus years."

Nel turned around, a serious look on her face as she gazed up into the grey skies, snow and wind blowing around her.

"Year after year after year AFTER YEAR I had to take this mess from everyone! And WHY?! Because I'm the smallest?! IS THAT IT?! IS THAT ALWAYS THE REASON?!"

"Whoa, Ms. Nel…." Taffyta winced, putting her hands on the woman's shoulders "Calm down. I know I was upset before but seeing how things are turning, maybe we should back it up a b-!"

"There's no turning back now!" Nel laughed, pushing the girl aside "We have already started the chain! There is nothing more for us to do but FINISH IT! And there is only ONE MORE TOOL that we need!"

"Ms. Nel, I get that you're upset!" Taffyta begged "But this is no way to go about it! Even though…even though I still don't know what the end results of all of this will be, I still have a bad feeling about it!"

"Little Miss Strawberry, there is nothing to worry about…." Nel said, rubbing her hands together "As I have said, there is only one thing we need to complete our plan."

"PRUNELLA!"

The two characters turned, seeing Norwood panting in exhaustion as he stood at the door, panic written all over his face.

"Great PROGRAMMERS! What are ya doin'?!"

* * *

Meg shook her gift, hearing the tiny things shuffle in the box. She couldn't help but feel like a child, anxious to tear away the paper to see what was inside but she knew better. She had to wait.

She had to wait for Don.

"Oh, I hope he'll be back soon…." The woman said as she rode the elevator down to the atrium "Last time Don ran out in a straight-fit like this, he didn't come back for two days and his shirt was missing."

*BING!*

The doors opened but before Meg took one step….

"OOF!"

"OH!"

Bump and bump.

Don.

The two Nicelanders looked at each other. They blinked, they froze.

The blushed.

"Donald…."

"M-M-Megan!"

What to say, what to say?

Nothing.

They could say nothing.

After a few moments, Don realized that he was standing right between the doors, the buzzer going off.

"Oh! Right…."

Meg rubbed her arms, forcing herself in the back of the car "Um….I-I was just looking for you."

"You WERE?" Don said in surprise but he choked on his words a bit, coughing hard "I-I mean-! I was doing the same for you! I mean, I was LOOKING for you that is, m-my dear!"

The blush only grew brighter on Meg's face "R-Right."

Things have never been so awkward.

The two were now in the car, but neither moved. The doors remained open, allowing for both Nicelanders to watch the ongoing fight outside.

"Ya wanna see how Gene feels?! BE MY GUEST!"

"RALPH! PUT ME DOWN!"

"No! Don't throw Felix!"

"Ah! Th-th buttons!" Meg forced a laugh, hitting the button for the penthouse "H-How silly of me!"

Don let out a weak chuckle, running his fingers through his hair.

"E-Everyone makes mistakes!"

Things were fine on the outside….

_"URGH! Where did Felix say he put my hat?!"_

"Listen, Donnie…." Meg said, her voice sad "I-I don't know if you got the news but…."

"What is it?"

There was a sense of shame in Meg's voice as she looked over at Don, both presents hidden behind her back.

"I know why you ran."

"Y-You do?" Don attempted, and failed, to play clueless "G-Goodness, Meggy. Where have you heard-"

"Don, listen. I never wanted you to freak out over my stupid feelings okay? It's just that…."

_"Stupid?"_

"It's just that…well, work? An-and trying to stay in character for everyone. I g-guess it doesn't mix well does it?"

Meg had to try harder at this. She knew what she wanted to say but as she looked at Don, the more nervous she began to feel. She was starting to feel anxious, her nerves frying and the urge to just hide away coming back to her.

But she remembered all the trouble she had caused, all the ruckus that had been seen all because of her.

And then she remembered how EVERYONE in Niceland, EVERYONE in the arcade seemed to have changed over the past few months.

And she wanted to be with them.

She couldn't run away anymore.

Meg took a deep breath and…

"Don, I'm sorry I've been so Mousey to you."

"Th-there's no need to apologize for THAT, dear. I-!"

"No, no I have to. Because I've dragged EVERYONE into a mess they didn't deserve to be roped into." The woman said "I….You. We? Me?"

How to say it? HOW TO SAY IT?

The tiny woman hesitated for a moment but she looked down in her hands. Her gift was still there and if there was any better time to hand it over.

"I know it's not big. I know it's simple but I just want you to know…."

Don's eyes widened as the gift was handed to him.

"Don, I really care for you. I really do."

The sailor, his hands shaking, took the gift but then looked back up at Meg. Bless her sweet little pixel heart. After all this time, after all that worry she had finally managed to say it.

And in thirty years, Don finally saw just how much the woman cared for him.

"W-wow, Megan…." Don said in a sheepish tone "I don't know what to-!"

**_*SCRRRRRRRUNK!*_**

A TERRIBLE grinding sound stopped Don mid-words as the car shook, the lights flickering as both Nicelanders tumbled to the ground.

"What was THAT?!" shivered Meg as she looked up.

"No!" Don gasped, pressing ever button on the panel "Don't tell me it happened again! NOT NOW! NOT NOW!"

"Oh GOBS!" cried Meg "IS THE CAR STUCK AGAIN?!"

Don banged his hands on the door but it seemed that no one could hear the two screaming.

"Anyone! ANYONE!" shouted Meg "We're down here! GET FELIX!"

Nothing.

Nothing at all.

"Oh, owl feathers!" Meg growled, kicking the door "Felix has fixed this thing nearly one hundred times! Why does it still go out!?"

Only two floors up, someone stood at the elevator panel, placing the metal frame back on the wall.

"You'll thank me for this later….." the small figure said, placing a screwdriver back in her purse.

"Lucy? Lucy where are-?"

"Oh, over here Tony. I just wanted ta check on somethin'!"

"Lucy?" said Don, looking up "Did that sound like Lucy?"

Meg shrugged her shoulders "Um, it might have be-!"

*BAM BAM BAM!*

"LUCILE! I SWEAR TO EVER GOD DESIGNED WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU-!"

"Dear, just come sit down…."

Speaking to Don was no longer an opition, given how angry and red he was _"Hooooo_**_RUUUUUGNE!"_**

"DONALD! There are children who can still hear you here!"

* * *

"Fa la la la! LA LA LA LAAAAAAAAA!" sand Candlehead as she messily stirred cookie batter, gobs of color going here and there "Oh, I just LOVE bakin' cookies!"

"Careful, careful!" Gene said, trying his best to clean up after the girl. He knew that the racer meant well but even with the promise he had made to her, he wasn't going to have his kitchen destroyed.

It would be just another thing Mary would be upset at him for.

"Mmm-MMM! Ya GOTTA try this Mr. Mayor Nicelander Gene!" the racer beamed, shoving a tree-shaped brownie in Gene's mouth.

"MURPH!"

"Aren't they great?"

Gene managed to chew and swallow the massive chunk of pastry down but he had to admit, it WAS tasty. He smiled, joining Candlehead in her cooking though his methods were of course much more clean.

"Gracious girl, I have to say. Have you ever considered starting up your own company?"

"I bake on tha side!" Candlehead chirped "But ya know I hafta be there for tha gamers! Can't let 'em down!"

"Well, let me tell you this. Of everyone in Sugar Rush, you seem to have the magic touch when it comes to culinary arts."

Candlehead smiled brighter than the Christmas tree in the apartment, she had never been given such a compliment.

"Thank you sir!"

Gene placed another rack of cookies in the oven, moving onto the next item on the list.

"Ah, that's done. Now to go onto the pin-wheel cookies!"

"Um, Mr. Mayor Nicelander Gene…." The little racer said, her voice a little hushed "Wh-when I took tha first batch a'cookies….Did-?"

Gene looked back, a little confused by the racer's sudden shyness "Yes?"

"When I took tha cookies, did ya get into THAT much trouble with Mrs. Mayor Nicelander Gene Nicelander Mary?"

Gene rubbed his temples "DEAR. First, there is no problem with you just calling her Miss Mary and two?"

The man chuckled smugly, shaking his head.

"Oh, don't worry about a thing."

"Huh?"

"The missus and I always mess with each other. I know she sounded upset but we don't stay angry at each for long!"

Candlehead was relieved. She felt bad enough for STEALING food from Niceland but if it were true that Mary was VERY angry at Gene as the blame had fallen on him, she would have felt even worse had it lead to BIGGER troubles.

"Again, I'm sorry…." The racer said, holding her head down "I just wanted ta do a good thing."

"And it was. I mean, wanting to hand out treats. The stealing? Not so much."

"But if I had known that Mrs. Mayor- I mean, MISS MARY would get angry at ya, I wouldn't have done such a stupid thing."

Gene began to put frosting on a few Christmas tree cupcakes, making sure the sprinkles were on perfectly.

"When you fall in love, you'll understand."

"Understand WHAT?"

* * *

"Gene and I?" Mary smiled "I know it took us THIS long to get together but I've had feelings for that blueberry since we were plugged in."

Calhoun took a large tray of pies towards the elevator but after a few button pushes, nothing happened.

"Huh. Is it out?"

"We can take the back one." Mary said "We usually use it for BIG THINGS but it still goes to the same place."

"Great! But what was this about you an' Mayor Blueberry?"

"What is there really to say?" Mary continued as she lead Calhoun further down the hall "It reminds me so much of you and Felix!"

_"CAN ANYONE HEAR US?!"_

_"LET US OUT!"_

"I know I sounded angry earlier when the pies disappeared but I can't stay mad at him. Even if I tried I couldn't."

"But ya sounded so sure that he had done it." Calhoun smiled "Has something happened like this before?"

"Oh-ho-ho! I have SO many stories!"

* * *

"As much as I hate to admit it…." Gene said, working on another piece for the party "I can't blame Mary for thinking I was the one who took the pies at first. I mean, its not like I can stop myself when she makes something."

"I know how ya feel!" Candlehead laughed "There was this one time that Crumbellina made these AWESOME caramel an' vanilla hot buns but I couldn't wait for them ta cool down an' before I knew it, I ate tha entire plate but then I pinned it on Gloyd an-!"

"No, No. I don't mean it like that!" Gene interrupted "Well, sort of. Its not like I haven't blamed NORWOOD for a few missing pies but what I mean is…at the end of the day, with all this heckling and stuff coming from so many people. When I come home to Mary, I just feel so good."

Candlehead looked over at Gene, seeing the man drift a bit in his words. He was so happy and content thinking about Mary.

"The pies are only a part of it. Her pies ARE the best that I have ever eaten and if I had to be buried, I would want nothing more than for my coffin to be filled with her pie so I could eat my way out….."

"I think of tha same thing….but with raw sugar cookie dough…." Candlehead said in a dreamy voice.

"But when it all comes down to it, it's HER. It's MARY that makes me feel happy. Mary that makes me feel so content."

"Awww!" cooed Candlehead "That's so SWEET! Ya love Ms. Mary SOOO much! I bet it was easy tellin' her that!"

"Easy?" Gene said "HA! Dear, if it were EASY I wouldn't have waited until THIS YEAR to get married to her!"

* * *

"Calhoun, can I tell you something?"

"Sure, what is it ma'am?"

"There have been times when I've envied you."

Calhoun was SHOCKED at the confession, nearly dropping the large array of pies she had in her hands "Excuse me, WHAT?! How could ya be envious of ME!? I've never even considered ya bein' envious of ANYONE!"

The small woman smiled at the marine "It's just how you and Felix were able to confess your love so quickly. You didn't wait, you didn't let the fact you're from two completely different games get in the way. Gene and I have been in the same games for years and during that time I couldn't muster up the courage to tell him how I felt the FIRST year I knew him. All I did was just tease him over and over again."

"Aw, c'mon! Not everyone falls in love the same way! Give yourself some credit!"

"I'm serious!" Mary said "I've waited so long. And in that time, so many things have happened to us that nearly caused us to lose EVERYTHING. The out-of-order, the viruses, that unfortunate run-in with the power-ups? All of those things could have ended it all for us….but I guess because of that…."

"Yeah?"

* * *

"I count myself lucky that I have someone like Mary to love…." Gene sighed "There are times when I wish I could do more for her though."

"More?" Candlehead said in-between bites of hour-dervus "How much more can ya do for her? She's so HAPPY with ya!"

"Oh, there is MORE." Gene sighed, the other half of his mind occupied with making sure the snacks were arranged on the tray just right "She puts up with me day after day after day but on top of that, she puts up with all the other things that come BECAUSE of me."

"_Mmm, bacon wrapped asparagus with more bacon…._" Candlehead whispered to herself, licking her lips. She then remembered there was someone else next to her "Hmmm? Ya don't pick fights do ya?"

"Of course not!" Gene said "But after things got out about how Ralph was treated…..I don't think I have to tell you twice what that brought here."

"Oooooh…." Candlehead said "That doesn't sound good at all."

* * *

"I know he seems so stuffy at times but Gene is trying the best he can." Mary sighed "I'm scared that e worries about US more than he worries about his own well being."

"Well, remember that time we bet him he couldn't stay calm for a week?" Calhoun said, whistling afterwards "I think that pretty much proved that theory CORRECT an' then some!"

"If I could have ONE thing for Christmas this year, it would be the assurance that nothing else would happen to him. I mean, I can't stand seeing him so angry and upset all the time!"

"Hey, hey! Makin' yourself upset so HE won't be upset won't help anythin'!" said Calhoun.

* * *

"Ya keep tellin' me that you're so worried 'bout keepin' Ms. Mary happy but from what I've seen since I really got ta know ya, she's ALWAYS happy around ya!" Candlehead grinned.

Gene nearly dropped the chocolate kisses to the floor, his cheeks burning a bit "Y-You really think so?"

"A'COURSE I think so!" the racer laughed as she tossed a snack in her mouth "Nmm, you-! You've always been there for Ms. Mary, always!"

* * *

"Ya've always been there for him, ma'am." Said Calhoun "If that isn't dedication, I don't know WHAT is!"

Mary blushed a bit "I-I can't hide that I care for people. I-I mean, at least I think I do. After everything that happened here, I-!"

"Okay, Mary. Let me be FRANK here." Calhoun said as the two walked out of the elevator "While I'm not on board with how Ralph was shut out before I came along, I would have ta be lying ta say that ya guys aren't treatin' him like your name-sake so yes. Yes, you DO care!"

* * *

"Plus, ya always keep your promises!" said Candlehead.

"I-I try to be a man of my word….." Gene said, lowering his head a bit.

"An' ya've been keepin' up with that!" said Candlehead "I mean look at this! Ya promised ta help ME make cookies for everyone in tha arcade, ya promised RALPH that ya would welcome him with tha other Nicelanders an' ya stuck with that! An' most of all, ya promised Ms. Mary ya would always love her right?"

"C-Candlehead, I-I think we might have talked about this enough!"

* * *

"I guess if I should say anythin' Mary, it's that I kinda look up ta YA."

Mary blushed deeply "W-What?"

"There are so many nut-cases in this arcade an' for a while I will admit, I began to wonder if we had been taken inta crazy-town when we were plugged in. But after getting' ta know ya guys, without all this insanity from other characters goin' in an' out, I saw that ya two were just two love-birds who had tha same thing as Felix an' I!"

* * *

"An' doesn't it feel good knowin' she's happy?" asked Candlehead, taking a large box of cookies into her hands as she followed Gene towards the door "Plus, she makes such awesome FOOD! You're one of the luckiest guys in tha arcade Mr. Mayor Nicelander Gene!"

* * *

"You're one of tha luckiest ladies in tha arcade, Ms. Mary!"

"But all I do is tease Gene….."

"But all I do is grump…"

"An' ya love her!" said Candlehead.

"An' ya love him!" said Calhoun.

"Y-Yes…." Smiled Mary "I do love him."

"Y-Yes!" "smiled Gene "I do love her!"

"I LOVE Gene!"

"I LOVE Mary!"

Had they not stopped, two Nicelanders would have crashed right into each other.

But there they were, the mayor and his wife, looking at each other as they stopped in front of the penthouse doors.

"Gene?"

"Mary?"

Timing had never been so better.

Gene blushed horribly, trying to balance the load of snacks in his hand "I-! I-I didn't find the snacks b-but I did manage to make more! E-everything is all-!"

"Oh, honey!" Mary said, looking at Gene with love-struck eyes "All of this? You shouldn't have!"

"But I had to! I made a promise and-!"

Before Gene could continue, Mary kissed the man on the cheek, pinching it afterwards "I think it might be best if we both relaxed for a bit, blueberry. It IS Christmas after all."

The chubby little mayor was lost in his dream, pixel heart floating over his head.

"Ah herf. ME?"

"Whoa, hot cookies 'bout ta drop!" Candlehead said as she quickly caught the snacks Gene had almost spilled on the floor "See, guess things turned out better after all!"

"But where is everyone?" asked Mary as she looked into the penthouse "Its time for the party to begin and yet I haven't seen a soul out-!"

_"KEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIURG!"_

"Aw man!" said Candlehead "There's only ONE person I know who screams like that!"

* * *

"Put me down, Garbage Man!" shouted Gloyd, shaking his hands angrily in the air "Its all out warfare! Anything goes!"

"But yellow snow?! REALLY!?" Ralph cried in disgust "I knew some of ya would pull a few tricks but REALLY?!"

It seemed that even with the passage of time, things had not slowed down during the epic snow battle of Niceland. If anything, things had only gotten worse as now EVERYONE was fighting against each other. There were no teams, no partnership, just character-eat-character and what was more?

No one could remember HOW it had gotten this far.

"Oh, goodness!" shouted Mary as she stepped out of the apartment with the others "KIDS! Don't you think you're going a bit too far with this?!"

"Its not far enough!" shouted Minty, lobbing snowballs like grenades "NOT TIL YOU ALL UNDERSTAND WHO THE QUEEN OF THIS BATTLE IS!"

"Um, EXCUSE ME?!" said an offended Nougetsia "Who's the one who is the MISTRESS of snow?! You might think you're minty-cool, but I know a thing or two more about ICE than you!"

"Oh yeah?! Bring it on, pinkie!"

The rain of snow only got wilder and as Calhoun looked forward….

"FELIX!"

"YA! YA!" the little repairman shouted, nailing Sticky right inbetween the eyes "Didn't think I was that slick, huh?!"

"Fix-it-Felix Jr., what in tha ARCADE are ya doin'?!"

"GAH! TAMMY!"

Felix looked over, his wife marching right through the waist-deep pile of snow "I can understand ya havin' fun but all of ya are takin' it too far this time!"

"But Tammy-!"

"Don't but me, mister! I'm surprised ya haven't taken one of those Turbo Pies of yours into this fight!"

"HE DID! HE CHEATED SO BAD!" shouted Citrusella from afar.

"Tattle-tell!"

"FELIX!"

Suddenly, Vanellope came running through, screaming at the top of her lungs as she held a massive lump of snow over her head.

"IT'S NO GAME OVER TIL I SAY IT IS!" she panted madly "IT'S NOT OVER! IT NEVER WILL BE!"

"OW! The kid BIT me!" Ralph cried out, dropping Gloyd to the ground.

As Felix looked on, he began to see the madness that was happening around him, a madness that he had help strength by participating in the battle. He remembered when he wanted things to be calm, he remembered when he wanted things to be fair.

He remembered when he just wanted everyone to stop making fun of Calhoun's cooking.

And it had all lead into THIS.

"Oh mah LAND…." The man said to himself, the crushing blow of war coming down on him "Holy-! Kids, stop! STOP!"

The mass of children continued to shriek and shout around him, a few ganging up on Ralph and pinning him to the ground.

"Let's bury him and see how long it takes to thaw him out!"

"Someone! HELP!"

Felix knew he had to bring order back to his game and he had to do it now.

"Okay, that's-! *_FWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!*"_

A long shrill whistle echoed throughout the entire game, everyone stopping in their tracks as all eyes went to Felix. The repairman looked EXHAUSTED but he wasn't going to stop now.

"Good, I got your attention!" the man said "Now…can we all just go in an' have some fun?"

"Fun?! FUN!?" growled Vanellope "But THIS IS FUN! We shall not stop till we have a victor or-!"

"Nelly, look at yourself!" Felix said "I've NEVER seen ya act so…so…."

Felix looked the racer up and over, trying to find the right words.

"If I could put it in a nice ya, you're makin' the guys from CONTRA look well-kempt!"

Vanellope looked around, realizing that she was surrounded not by a winter wonderland of fun, but of a massive, ugly field of destruction. She started to come to, seeing her friends around her looking battered and bruised and Ralph, still face down in the snow.

"W-wait…." The girl said, dropping the snowball in her hand "W-why are we doing this? Why are we fightin'?"

"Oh, thank goodness!" Felix sighed, glad to see that everyone was starting to come out of their snow-lust daze "Look kids, I know ya wanted ta have fun an' all but I kinda let things get carried away."

Ralph looked up, Torvald rolling off his back with a yell "You? How is this any of your fault?"

"I shouldn't have gotten so miffed at ya when ya were talkin' 'bout Tammy's cookin'…." The small man said, biting his lip "I mean, when it all comes down, this IS my fault. I was tha one who egged everyone on ta go further an' further. I was tha one who changed tha codin' ta make it snow THIS much….an' I was tha one who got mad over nothin'."

Ralph and Vanellope looked at each other, saddened to see Felix beating himself up in such a manner.

"Look, Felix…."

"No, no. I'm doin' what a good-guy does!" the repairman said in a stern voice, his chest puffed out "I'm takin' responsibilities for all of this!"

"Ya, but ya wouldn't have to if we didn't keep our mouths shut…." Said Ralph.

"Uh, I think ya mean YOUR mouth shut." Correct Vanellope.

"KID."

"Either way, I could have done ANYTHIN' ta stop all of this. ANYTHING!" said Felix "But I only made things worse an' kept ya kids from havin' fun like you were SUPPOSED ta."

Calhoun was just taken away by Felix's words, the woman holding a hand to her heart.

"Right now, ya guys head upstairs ta tha party. I'll fix any damage that has been done."

"Ya big-nose dork."

Felix turned around, Calhoun laughing uproariously at the door "T-Tammy?"

The marine couldn't help it. Any time Felix went into 'hero-mode' she couldn't fight the urge to not only laugh…

"C'mere!"

"WHOA!"

But to hug him as well.

Calhoun held Felix tight in her arms, smooching him on his reddened cheeks "How do ya do it? HOW DO YA DO IT? Every time somethin' happens, ya manage ta fix it in tha end?"

Why fight a hug from the one you love?

Felix felt as if he were melting in his wife's hold, embracing her.

"Um, good codin'?"

"Ah, now that we have that out of the way…." Mary smiled "Why don't all you kids come in and dry off? It's so cold out here that I'm surprised that your lil fingers and toes haven't gone all frostbitten."

"Don't worry Mrs. Mayor!" Vanellope laughed powerfully "We've all been through tougher things than this!"

Gene felt snow falling on his nose, but there was something off.

_"Uh, dear?"_

"Yeah!" said Ralph, picking Vanellope up and placing her on his shoulder "Though it would be nice ta get some coco or-!"

_What happened next?_

_Well in Litwak's they say._

_One ton of snow fell from the Niceland roof that day._

**_*FWUMP!*_**

A wave of screams hit everyone as a massive wave of snow PLUMMETED from the air and landed atop the so-called snow warriors, burying them in what had to be a ten foot wall of snow.

And only inches away, four people stood unscathed, looking at the pile with hats, hands and legs poking out.

"Um…what just happened?" asked Candlehead.

* * *

"NEL! WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Norwood screamed.

"The same thing that happened to me back in eight-nine!" the woman panted in anger as she marched up to the red-head "Don't tell me YOU'VE forgotten that moment! Your brain can' be THAT empty!"

Taffyta looked down at the edge of the apartments, still in utter shock at what she and Nel had participated in.

"Wow….it's like everyone's been packed into the middle of an ice-cream sandwich…."

"Nel, that was NUTS! Ya can not tell me you've been waitin' THIS long ta take revenege out on us!"

"Why not?!" the woman blustered, standing on her tip-toes towards the nervous Nicelander "After all! I know it was Gene who did it!"

"Um, Ms. Nel?"

"WHAT?!"

"I don't think Gene got hit…."

"Are you KIDDING ME?!" Nel blustered "I MISSED?! AFTER ALL THAT WORK, I MISSED!"

"Nel!"

"Quick young lady, there is still time!" said Nel as she shoved the shovel back into Taffyta's hand "I know there might not be as much snow left but if we work fast enough, then we can-!"

"Nel! Don't ya DARE do this again!" Norwood said, an angered look on his face.

"An' why not, RED?"

"Because-!"

"Yeeees?"

"B-Because-!"

Nel narrowed her eyes, that gaze of her just BURNING right into Norwood.

"Because…BECAUSE I WAS THA ONE WHO PULLED THAT TRICK!" Norwood confessed, falling to his knees "I was savin' it for Nolan an' tha other guys but I had no idea that YOU would come out first! I-it was an ACCIDENT an' its been eatin' me up ever since."

"So you admit it was your fault?"

"Yes, YES!" blubbered the red-head "If I could go back in time an' kick my own ass, I would!"

"So you were a freckle-butt moron for pullin' such a stunt?"

"Yes, I'm a freckle-butted moron!"

"And you realize I knew all this time but I just wanted to see you confess?"

"Yes, I knew ya had-!"

Norwood stopped, his eyes shot open. He looked up at Nel, the woman standing over him with a devilish grin on her face.

"GOTCHA!"

"W-wait a second….all of this?! IT WAS A TRICK?!"

"Call it your SECOND Secret Santa gift, buck-o!" laughed Nel "I just wanted to hear it straight from your mouth that YOU were the one who pulled the stunt!"

"Um, Ms. Nel?"

"But-! BUT-!"

"Yeah, I know I have a great butt." Tittered Nel "What to it?"

"All of this?! Ta get revenge on ME?!" Norwood said "Babe, I'M SORRY! I never intended ta hurt ya back then!"

"Nory, look. I know ya didn't WANT ta hurt me when ya pushed over eight feet of snow over tha buildin' but…."

"Y-Yeah?"

Nel pulled Norwood closer, her lips brushing against his cheek.

_"Just call this pay back for all the OTHER things you've done to me over the years!"_

"WHAT?"

"NORWOOD! WHAT HAVE YA DONE?!" Nel said as she threw her shovel in Norwood's hands, taking Taffyta towards the door.

"Norwood?!" Gene shouted from the entrance of the apartment "What the heck are you doing up there?!"

"ME?!" the Nicelander sputtered "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHIN'!"

"I CAN SEE THE SHOVEL IN YOUR HAND!"

"I don't have a-!"

Norwood looked to his left hand, the smoking gun, or SHOVEL still clutched in his grasp.

"NEL THREW IT TO ME!"

"Don't go blaming other people for this, we know it was you!" shouted Mary.

"But-!"

"There's no point in lying Norwood!"

* * *

"So he's sayin' WHAT in Swedish?!" Snowanna said with shocked eyes as she gazed at Crumbellina.

"While I do not wish to fully translate the things that Captain Don is saying, I can assure you that is he quite….UPSET at what has happened."

"Oh, I'll let 'em out soon enough!" said Lucy "Just until he and Meg get the proper alone time they need!"

"Lucy? REALLY?" said Nolan "You trapped them in the ELEVATOR. I'm sure that's FAR from the romantic setting they wanted or NEEDED!"

"But it's so-!"

A horribly cough broke the mood as everyone turned, seeing Deanna dragging herself from the apartment, her comforter clutched around her body.

"L-Lucy, let 'em out….."

"Dee-Dee, ya shouldn't be up!"

"And YOU shouldn't *snrk!* shouldn't be lockin' people in elevators, AGAIN!" the burgundy Nicelander grumped, blowing her nose in a tissue "Don't you think you've tortured him enough all year? Its CHRISTMAS!"

"Don't gang up on me like this!" Lucy whined "Th-they'll be FINE together!"

"Sis, I think Don might be foamin' at the mouth at this point…" Tony said as he pointed towards the elevator, Don's angered pounding heard clearly.

**_"MAMMAKNULLARE!"_**

"What did he say THEN?" asked Adorabeezle

"DON'T ANSWER THAT YOUNG LADY."

Deanna swayed a bit on her feet but she had to do what she could to bring the peace among the others.

After all, if not her then WHO?

"Lucy, ya wanna do a big favor for me?"

The younger Nicelander backed away a bit, "Eeh, yeah?"

"It's Christmas. I feel achy, my entire face feels like it's going to EXPLODE and the last thing I need is Don trying to punch through metal one floor below me all because you still have to be a butt to him."

Deanna then grabbed Lucy by her arms but the look on the woman's face wasn't that of anger. If anything, Deanna looked as if she were nearing the end, her energy tapped out.

"Can-you-PLEASE-give-us-a-BREAK?!" the sick Nicelander sobbed "Its Christmas an' all I want is ta go back on the couch and eat spicy chicken soup so I can breathe again!"

Lucy peered around at the others. Why did they all have to look at her like that? WHY?

"Dee-Dee?"

Deanna could only answer with a cough "Urgh, I think I'll just sleep on the floor."

"FINE." Lucy groaned, rolling her eyes as she fiddled with the panel "But if anything happens to me when he gets out, ITS ON YOU!"

"Aw, don't talk like Don is some sort of animal, Lucy." Said Nolan "I'm sure once you explain to him what happened, he'll-!"

**_*DING!*_**

**_"WHERE IS SHE?!"_**

The doors were only open for a moment as Don rushed out, grabbed Lucy around her waist and tore off down the hall, the girl screaming at the top of her lungs.

"NO DON! DON'T SHOVE HER IN THE CLOSET!" begged Meg "IT'S CHRISTMAS!"


	8. Finale

**Finale**

"Good?" Calhoun smiled as she placed another forkful of pie in Felix's mouth. The man looked as if he were on cloud nine as he tasted the juicy berries, the buttery-honey crust and warm gooey filling in his mouth.

"It's pure HEAVEN…." The man sighed, floating off the couch a bit.

"See, what did I tell you?" Mary winked towards Calhoun "It doesn't have to LOOK perfect. Just so long as he loves it."

Calhoun gave Felix's pant-leg a little tug to bring him back down, then kissed him on the nose "Ya love it?"

_"Ah doooooo….."_

"So the pie is good…." Vanellope said, wrapped in a towel "Does that mean WE can have some?"

"I dun knooooooooow….." Calhoun cooed "I mean, ya guys made it seem like I was TERRIBLE at cookin'! I'm sure ya wouldn't like this!"

"But Felix said he liked it!" whined Ralph "Give us just a taste! A bite!"

"A BITE for YOU Wreck-it would be the whole thing!" smiled Calhoun, teasingly putting another morsel into Felix's mouth "Guess you two will have ta wait til Mary an' I bake agaaaaaain!"

"I blame you…." Vanellope huffed.

"S'not my fault…." Grumped Ralph.

"Hey, ya can't blame MEEEEE!" sang Taffyta "I did NOTHIN' with tha snow!"

"Oh hush an' just give me tha box!" growled Gloyd.

"Such HORRIBLE manners, Mr. Orangeboar!" the strawberry racer cackled "Keep actin' like that an' ya won't get your present!"

"Taffyta, please! I know it's a towel! Vanellope got one, Snowanna got one, EVERYONE GOT ONE! Ya do this ever year with us!"

Taffyta held the box just inches away from Gloyd, batting her huge eyelashes "It might be somethin' else! Plus, it still might be wet from when ya attacked me with snowballs earlier!"

"TAFFYTA!"

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Candlehead cheered, handing out cookies towards the many new guest at the party "There is plenty ta go around! Help yourself!"

"Seems like someone is havin' fun." Smiled Snowanna "An' to think. All ya had to do was swipe a few pies!"

"Now Snowanna…." The little candle-headed racer said in a scolding tone "STEALIN' is bad! I already learned that the hard way! But thanks ta Mr Mayor Nicelander Gene, I still managed ta hand out cookies ta everyone like I wanted! Plus, there will be so much more later on, right?"

_"Nnff, an' she made BLUEBERRY cupcakes too?"_

Candlehead turned her head to see Gene once again sneaking snacks, the girl gasping in shock.

"MR. MAYOR NICELANDER GENE!"

"Urf, I was just….making sure they were of a good enough standard! That's all!"

Don and Crumbellina played a holiday tune, their serenading strings filling the entire room with such a warm holiday feeling. As they played, Crumbellina took notice of the lone figure sitting before them, a smile on her face as she held a tiny little present in her hands.

Nicelander Meg.

And she had never looked happier.

"So I take it you finally talked with Ms. Meg?" the racer said. Don gave a small nod as he continued to play.

"Let's just say we had some 'time' to discuss things with so much needed privacy."

"See, I told Ms. Meg things would turn out alright." The girl said "All she needed was some confidence!"

_"And what Lucy needed was an hour or two in the closet."_

"Excuse me?"

"Oh nothing, young lady!" Don smiled "So, do you know anything from the Nutcracker Suite?"

"I dun wanna talk to ya…." Mumbled Norwood.

"Aw, c'mon baby." Giggled Nel.

"No. Cuz you're mean an' ya got me in trouble so NO."

"Is that how it's gonna be?" the purple Nicelander teased "Den I guess I won't be givin' a certain wed-head his gift dis year?"

"Nel, I don't care HOW much baby talk ya give me, there is NO way! NO HOW I'm gonna forgive ya for what ya pulled on tha roof!"

"Oh, don't make me call Nolan over here!" Nel continued to tease "My big bad cousin won't like it if ya keep poutin' like this!"

"I don't care what Nolan thinks!"

"NORWOOD. YOU BETTER STOP MESSIN' WITH NEL!"

"I didn't do anything, BALD-SPOT!"

"Okay, okay. Calm down boys…." The cheeky little woman laughed "Since you're going to be that way Red, here. Lemme show ya what ya got."

Nel untied the fancy ribbon atop the box, handing Norwood a little card.

"What's this?"

"Read it."

Norwood gave Nel an unsure look but as he read on "This card gives Nicelander Norwood aka Massive Annoying Cat Person…."

Norwood glared at Nel.

"Aw, how sweet of you."

"Just keep reading."

"It gives NORWOOD….."

The man stopped, a surprised look on his face.

"It gives Norwood one free kiss….."

"A SPECIAL kiss…." Nel chuckled, a brow arch.

"Aw, but ya kiss me every day now!" Norwood pouted, crossing his arms "How can-!"

Before Norwood had a chance to say anything more, Nel LEAPT upon him and gave him a kiss so huge, so powerful that he was certain he won a one-thousand point bonus from it!

"MWA!" Nel laughed, sitting up, Norwood still left astonished on the floor "Told ya it was worth it, freckle-butt!"

And while the party was going on in the penthouse, three others were having a wonderful evening as well.

"Can we put on Godzilla vs. Mecha King Kong on?" asked Tony.

Finally comfortable, finally feeling a tad better, Deanna sank deeper into her new comforter, presents from both Lucy and Tony.

"Ya got the soup, Lucy?"

"Yup!" the Nicelander smiled "Thanks for convincing Don ta let me outta that closet, Dee-Dee. I don't think I would have lasted another minuet in there with all those ships-in-bottles an' junk he had."

Deanna took her soup, happy to have some company over for the holidays "Consider it my gift to you, Lulu. Now shut up and let's watch this movie. You have NO idea how hard I had to look for a copy of this!"

"Ho ho ho!" called a voice from down the hall "Meeeerry Christmas everyone!"

Tony got up from his chair, looking towards the door "Hey, Roy came back?"

"Wait…that's ROY?!"

"Hey kids, how would you like-!"

"ITS SANTAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"W-wait, WAIT! I CAN ONLY TAKE- **_GAUUUUUUUUUUUUURGH!_**"

The three Nicelanders winced as they watched Santa Nicelander get plowed by the Sugar Rush kids, the lot of them dragging him off into the penthouse.

"Well, at least he'll regenerate."

_On the twelfth day of Christmas, Litwak gave to me._

_Twelve frozen presents!_

_Eleven soaked racers!_

_Ten eaten pies!_

_Nine hours baking!_

_Eight bottles of Moo-Moo milk!_

_Seven dead Cybugs!_

_Six exploding pookas!_

_FIVE GOLDEN HERO MEDALS!_

_Four Super Mushrooms!_

_Three tons of snow!_

_Two Nicelanders stuck in an elevator!_

_AND ONE INSANE CHRISTMAS SPENT IN THE ARCADE!_

**Merry Christmas to everyone, from Candleheadbutt!**


End file.
